Time of Past
by Fuck if I know
Summary: Kuroko, singlehandedly raising his two beloved children, has never been one to think of himself. Throughout everything that has happened, he's only focused on his children. But when he meets a certain redhead, he begins to think that, maybe, he can focus on himself a little more. (Rated T for now, could change in later chapters.)
1. Chapter 1

Kuroko sighed tiredly as he rummaged through his pocket, trying to fish out enough money to pay for the meal he'd just been talked into buying. Seven years of this, and he was still falling for their tricks. He finally managed to pay for the meal, sending a flurry of apologies to the merchant as he gathered the food in his arms. Turning to the two children behind him, he managed a small smile and nodded toward the park across the street.

The children, one a little boy with powder blue hair and matching eyes, the other a little girl with bright fiery red hair and the same crystal blue eyes, beamed up at the bluenette and followed him happily, skipping as they linked arms.

"Daddy, can we play after we eat?" the little girl asked.

Kuroko sighed softly, a smile on his lips, though he was continuously almost dropping the food in his hands. He was very relieved when they finally arrived at the first available picnic table. As he filtered through the food, sorting it out for the children and himself, he glanced at the nearly empty playground just a few yards away.

"You can play, but only if you eat it all."

Both children beamed up at him before sharing an excited glance.

"We can play, Takeru!" the girl squealed.

"But we have to eat everything, Sakura," Takeru reminded.

Kuroko placed his hands on his hips, staring down at the two with a knowing look. "And no throwing the food on the ground."

Sakura grinned sheepishly, twirling in the way she always did when she was 'caught.'

"I would never~"

Kuroko laughed, gently pushing the piles of food toward their respective owners. "Sure you wouldn't, because that wasn't you that did that just last week, was it?"

The little girl laughed again before sinking her teeth into her food, her brother following suit. Kuroko smiled at them, a sudden wave of nostalgia washing over him. And with it, came pain. He shook the feelings away as he too began eating.

It wasn't long before both children held out their plastic plates, grinning like fools. "All done~" they sang together.

Kuroko inspected the plates closely, his brows furrowing as he hmmed at them. The children only laughed as he pulled back, nodding toward the playground. "Be safe, don't leave my sight."

"Yes, daddy!" they said in unison, running off before the words were fully out of their father's mouth.

Turning in his seat, the bluenette watched his children run around happily, his daughter's familiar screeches easily drowning out the few other children's voices.

After letting the children play for a couple of hours, Kuroko called them over, smiling halfheartedly at their slightly crestfallen expressions. "Ah, don't look like that, littles ones," he said, ruffling their hair. "We can come back tomorrow morning, real early, and you can play all day."

The children's faces were instantly brightened, and they each grasped one of Kuroko's hands, skipping as he led them through the streets. All was fine, until Kuroko paused at an intersection, releasing Sakura's hand as he fished out his vibrating phone.

As the bluenette replied to his friend Kagami's text, he failed to notice the little girl sneaking away. That is, until the 'walk' sign appeared on the sign, and Kuroko turned to find only one of his children with him. His eyes instantly widened with panic, searching through the crowd for his daughter. "Takeru, did you see where your sister went?"

The little boy merely pointed through the crowd. Squinting, Kuroko managed to see her small form, her eyes glistening as she appeared to be talking to someone. Sighing, Kuroko picked Takeru up in his arms and ran toward her.

"Sakura, what are you-"

"Daddy!" The little girl squealed in delight before wrapping her arms tightly around Kuroko's waist, which she could barely reach.

Brows furrowed and heart still hammering, Kuroko gently pushed her away. "What were you thinking? You know better than to run off like that!"

Sakura smiled sheepishly again, twirling in her usual fashion. "Sorry, Daddy," she mumbled, "but, he looks just like me."

Confused, Kuroko followed his daughter's finger, his eyes landing on the redhead that she had apparently been talking to.

The man smiled kindly, extending his hand, "My apologies, I was trying to find out where she came from so I could return her safely to her parents. I'm Akashi Seijuro."

Kuroko blinked before placing his hand into Akashi's. "Kuroko Tetsuya. Eh, thank you. For keeping her out of harm's way, I mean."

Akashi flashed a dazzlingly smile, unknowingly causing Kuroko's heart to beat erratically. "It was my pleasure. You have a smart girl there."

The bluenette smiled proudly. "I know," he turned to look down at the girl with a pointed look, "but she's a mischievous one."

The redhead laughed softly as Sakura twirled once more. "But Daddy, he looks just like me~" she sang again.

And looking between the two, Kuroko could see the similarities, most of which were drowned out by the same crimson hair they adorned. Akashi could have been Sakura's father. A hint of nervousness settled into Kuroko's stomach at the thought. For all he knew, he was her father. After all, Sakura, unlike Takeru, had been adopted.

Kuroko pushed the thought away to find Akashi staring at him, an unknown look dancing in his crimson eyes.

"Excuse me, if this is too forward but, would you like to have dinner some time?"


	2. Chapter 2

Kuroko gawked at the place around him, the restaurant that he'd always admired from afar but never had the time nor the money to walk into. It was beautiful, classy, expensive. Never had he ever expected to be seated in one of the darkened booths, lit only by the soft glow of candles. When he had accepted Akashi's offer to dinner, the thought of such a place had completely slipped his mind, based on how many times he'd had to rule the option out for himself.

Looking closer at the redhead, Kuroko wondered if he should've realized Akashi was more financially adept than he. It wasn't much, but the clothes he wore weren't exactly hand-me-downs, though they weren't top-dollar, either. They were somewhere in between, being designer, but not that of a well-known clothes line. Furthermore, even the way Akashi carried himself could have been a sign. Most people Kuroko knew didn't have such erect posture, nor the air of confidence the redhead carried. As the bluenette stared at the man before him, he wondered exactly what he did for a living.

"So, Kuroko…"

Kuroko snapped his head back into reality, smiling softly at the knowing look in the redhead's eyes.

"Forgive me, but I find it hard to believe you're single."

The bluenette's smile faltered only slightly as he took a sip of his water before answering. "When my wife left, I didn't have the heart to start dating again. Even after four years, I still find it rather odd."

Akashi nodded solemnly. "So, she left then?"

Kuroko bit the inside of his lip as he stared at the table, laughing softly to himself. "Well, no. She passed, actually. But I've found people don't feel as sorry for me if I say she just left." His fingers unknowingly began twisting around his ring finger, where his wedding band used to be.

The redhead frowned. "Four years," he mumbled, "You've been raising those children on your own for four years?" His crimson eyes flashed to the involuntary movements of his date's fingers, but he said nothing at the time.

Kuroko smiled again, and it was genuine, making Akashi's heart flutter. "Yes. Well, I have help sometimes. Not often. They're such wonderful kids…"

Akashi smiled back as the distance in Kuroko's eyes faded, their eyes truly meeting once more. The redhead nodded lightly toward his hand. "You haven't had that off for long, have you?"

The bluenette blinked before looking down to find what he was doing. He laughed at himself as he pulled his hands apart, taking another drink. "No, only a couple of months."

Akashi nodded, and Kuroko wasn't sure, but it seemed to him that the redhead was almost hesitating. "Kuroko, I like you, and I can't tell you how grateful I am that you accepted my offer," he smiled softly, "but are you sure you're ready for this?"

Kuroko paused, letting the words wash over him. No one had ever _asked_ if he was ready to date again. His friends had pushed him to, and understood- somewhat –when he said he wasn't ready, but no one had ever actually asked. His brows furrowed as he sifted through the emotions in his heart.

"Truthfully, I don't know. But I really like you, Akashi. This is only the second time we've met, but I feel so.. content, with you. And if I give that up now, without even seeing where this goes, just to protect myself… I'm not sure I'll ever be ready."

The redhead stared at him for a long time, his eyes softened with awe. "… So can I count on a second date?" He smiled sheepishly.

Kuroko laughed, "Let's get through this one first, okay?" His laughter was cut short when his phone vibrated in his pocket, making him jump nearly a foot into the air. Akashi chuckled under his breath as Kuroko's face warmed to a light pink colour.

"E-eh, I need to check that," he muttered, pulling the device out. "Might be the kids…"

Akashi nodded understandingly, his smile warm and his eyes bright. Kuroko's face only continued to redden as he stared at the man, so he quickly averted his gaze to the phone in his hands. He sighed, just Aomine.

He put the phone back into his pocket before looking back up, only to see the waiter making his way toward them, food in hand. He smiled and gazed at the expertly prepared food as it was placed before them, inhaling its heavenly aroma.

"Ah, it looks amazing…"

Akashi smiled, already beginning to eat. "Yes, and it tastes even better."

Kuroko's face flushed once more, and he wasn't even sure why, but Akashi's chuckle that came afterward certainly didn't help.

XXX

The streets were still crowded when they left the restaurant, but neither of them really noticed. The night air felt refreshing after being seated in a warm restaurant for nearly two hours. Kuroko smiled as the two walked along, still chatting about their lives, but not venturing into the deep conversations yet. Kuroko's explanation for being a single parent had been as deep as the two wanted to go tonight. And they were happy with simply telling small stories and laughing at each other's comments.

"So Kuroko, do you have a job?"

The bluenette smiled, kicking a pebble that lay in the street. "I do, I'm a teacher at the same school my children attend."

Akashi nodded approvingly, looking the bluenette up and down. "I could see that. What grade?"

"Kindergarten."

"Ah, the little ones. They're the sharpest minds to mold."

Kuroko nodded. "Yes, and I want to make sure they grow up not only to be as smart as they can be, but good people, as well."

Akashi stared at his date for a long time, before a smile stretched onto his face. "You're amazing."

Kuroko's face began to heat once more as he averted his gaze. "Eh? Not really," he mumbled. Then he perked up, smiling up at the redhead once more. "And what about you, Akashi? What do you do?"

The redhead sighed softly, running a hand through his hair. "Me? I work at _Shiori's."_

Kuroko paused. " _Shiori's?_ The biggest company in Japan?"

Akashi scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah, that one."

And then Kuroko remembered something, an occurrence that happened just three years ago. "That company used to be called _The Akashi Corporation_."

The redhead flinched slightly, but he smiled anyway. "Yeah, I had them change it."

Kuroko stopped in his tracks, causing Akashi to stumble to a stop as well. "Shit, you're _the_ Akashi. The founder's only son-"

"Yes, and I'd rather not talk about it," he interrupted, and though his smile was still intact, Kuroko could see the pain in his eyes.

He frowned, nodding slowly. "Alright. Can you at least tell me why the name changed, though? I always wondered…"

Akashi's eyes softened as he began walking again, Kuroko following suit. "Shiori was my mother."

"Was…"

"Yes, she died when I was very young."

The bluenette's frown deepened. "I'm-"

Akashi stopped again to put his finger against Kuroko's lips. He smiled. "I didn't apologize to you, please don't apologize to me. You're not the only one that doesn't like pity."

Kuroko smiled softly as Akashi pulled his finger away. "Alright, I understand."

The redhead smiled, a genuine smile. "I knew you would. Come now, it's getting late. I'm sure you'd like to tell your children goodnight while they're still half awake?"

Kuroko laughed softly, following his date once more.

As the two came to a stop on Kuroko's doorstep, the redhead hmmed, smiling as he looked up at the sky in thought. Kuroko, brows furrowed, also looked up, but he couldn't see a thing through the vast darkness above them.

Akashi laughed softly at the bluenette's gesture, bringing his attention back to himself. "You can't see them here in Tokyo, but the stars are still there, you know?"

Kuroko raised a brow, but nodded. "I know."

The redhead grinned, looking back up for a moment. "I was wishing on one of them for another date with you."

Kuroko's face instantly felt like the sun itself, and he ducked his head, coughing. His heart was hammering in his chest, and the redhead's soft chortle that followed only made it worse. He finally looked back up to the redhead's expecting gaze, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"I wouldn't mind a second one."

Akashi's smile only grew, and he took Kuroko's hand in his own, kissing it lightly. "Then I will be in touch."

The bluenette's face only grew warmer as the redhead bid him goodnight, and he watched Akashi leave the way they had just come before slipping into his home.

"Tetsu~"

Kuroko sighed as the pink haired girl glomped him, almost knocking him to the floor. He patted her hair softly, "Momoi, please get off of me, I can't breathe."

The girl giggled, but released him immediately, crossing her arms behind her back as she smiled at him. "So~ How'd it go~?"

Kuroko couldn't help the small blush that crossed his cheeks as he again thought of the redhead he'd spent the evening with. He smiled softly. "It was nice."

Momoi squealed quietly, afraid the children might already be asleep. "That's great~ I'm so happy for you, Tetsu! Oh, I already put Takeru and Sakura to bed, but they may still be awake if you want to tell them goodnight."

Kuroko nodded, smiling at her warmly as she grabbed her purse. "Thank you again, Momoi."

"It was my pleasure, call me anytime~" she sang, sending him one last smile as she walked out the door.

Turning on his heels, Kuroko made his way down the hall and to the children's bedroom. He silently padded into the room, sitting on the chair that separated the two twin beds. His eyes traveled to Takeru's sleeping face, and he smiled. Leaning over to kiss the boy's head, he whispered goodnight before turning to Sakura. He wasn't surprised at all to find her staring up at him, a smile on her lips.

"Did you have fun, Daddy?" she whispered.

Kuroko nodded, kissing her hair. "I did."

"That's good. I like that man."

The bluenette smiled as he pulled the blankets up further to her neck. "I do too. Now sleep, alright?"

She nodded, yawning as she snuggled deeper into the blankets' warmth. "Goodnight, Daddy."

"Goodnight, little one."


	3. Chapter 3

Kuroko smiled to himself as his phone lit up again, already knowing the name that was undoubtedly scrawling across the screen. It had been two weeks since his first date with Akashi. Unfortunately, the couple had failed to set a date for the second, but the redhead had often visited when he could, even if it was for but a moment.

With the summer break nearing its end, Kuroko was up to his neck in preparations for the continuing school year, and Akashi was in the middle of three simultaneous deals with _Shiori's._ The two hardly had any time to think for themselves, let alone go out alone one evening. Still, Akashi had kept his promise- he continued to at least text or call the bluenette daily.

Carelessly wiping his flour-covered hands on his pants, Kuroko grabbed his phone from the kitchen counter. His children, still rolling little dough-balls onto a pan, didn't miss the smile on their father's face. They shared a knowing look before Sakura grinned up at Kuroko, her eyes alight with curiosity.

"Daddy, who're ya talking to?"

The bluenette's cheeks warmed slightly at being caught. He glanced at the girl below him before typing out a reply to the redhead. "No one."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Don't lie, Daddy~ It's Akashi, isn't it?"

Kuroko chuckled softly, putting his phone down once more. "And why would you think that?"

Takeru spoke up then, "He always te..xt..s you."

The bluenette couldn't help but smile at the boy, picking him up and twirling him in his arms. "Ah, so he does~" he admitted, enjoying the happy squeals coming from his son.

"Are you going to get married, Daddy?"

Kuroko's feet stopped in their tracks, and though his smile was still plastered on his face, his eyes were distant as he turned them back to the little girl. Her crystal eyes were glowing with genuine interest. He sighed softly as he put Takeru back onto the floor, the boy immediately setting back to work with the dough.

"Saku, honey," he said softly, "we've only just met."

The little girl's lips turned down in a pout. "But you like him, right?"

"Yes, I do."

"And he likes you. So why not get married?"

Kuroko bit the inside of his lip as he knelt before his daughter, taking one of her hands between his own. He played with her fingers as he tried to find the right words. "Marriage is a big step, Sakura. It's not something to be taken lightly. Do you know how long I waited before asking your mother to marry me?" The little girl shook her head. "Four years, and then we waited another year before the wedding."

Sakura's eyes widened, and then her brows furrowed. "But if you liked her so much, why'd you wait so long?"

Kuroko smiled softly, brushing a strand of her red hair out of her eyes. "When you love someone like that, there's no need to rush."

The little girl's eyes widened once more, shining brightly in the light. A large grin found its way to her lips as she threw her arms around Kuroko's neck tightly. Kuroko was taken aback, his own eyes wide, but he smiled as he wrapped his own arms around the girl, holding her close. When they finally separated, Kuroko hesitated, but decided to add, "And besides, Saku, marriage isn't allowed between me and Akashi right now."

Sakura frowned. "What? Why not?"

He sighed. "It's a rule in Japan that two men can't marry one another."

The little girl's eyes widened even further than before, and she looked absolutely appalled. _"Not even if they love each other?"_ she shrilled.

Kuroko smiled sadly, shaking his head. "Not yet. Maybe someday the rule will change."

Takeru turned to them, blinking. "Rules can change?"

He nodded slowly. "Certain ones can. This type of rule is called a law, and the laws are determined for the city. Sometimes, the people that live in the city, can influence the law makers' decisions."

The children were quiet for a long while, letting the new information sink into their brains. Kuroko wasn't really sure they were old enough to understand such a thing, but that thought was cut short when Sakura spoke again.

"Then I'm gonna change it!"

Kuroko blinked, and Takeru titled his head. "You are, Saku?" he asked.

She merely nodded, hands on her hips, and chin held high. "Yep! I'm gonna make it to where anyone can marry anyone! As long as they love each other!"

Takeru stared at his sister, his mouth agape. "Woah, so cool!"

Kuroko laughed softly, pulling both of his children into a tight hug. "That's the spirit, Saku," he whispered, and the little girl giggled in response.

Their little hug fest was interrupted suddenly by another vibrating noise from the counter. As Kuroko slid out of his children's hold to retrieve the phone, Sakura sang to herself, "Daddy's got a boyfriend~" Whilst Takeru laughed at her makeshift song, Kuroko's cheeks warmed drastically.

He'd never expected his children to make him blush so much.

Ducking his head so that his flushed cheeks were hidden from view, he quickly read the reply he'd received.

' _I'll be over as soon as I'm off.'_

XXX

"Daddy!"

"He's here!"

The bluenette's breath was knocked out of him as both children slammed their bodies into his, both of them grasping at each of his legs. He smiled, ruffling their hair. "Well what are you waiting for then? Go open the door."

The children beamed up at him before running back to the front door, giggling all the way. He sighed and rolled his eyes at their antics before turning back to the stove.

Akashi wasn't surprised at all when the little munchkins (as he liked to call them) opened the door. He'd heard their yelling from the street. Still, his eyes widened as if he were surprised, and he kept his gaze directed at his own eye level.

He looked around, "Hello? Is someone there?" he asked, making a show of it. He heard the children's giggles, and he gasped, eyes trailing downward. "Oh, there you are! I wasn't expecting such little hosts!"

Sakura giggled again and reached a hand out to grab the redhead's, pulling him inside as Takeru ran back to the kitchen happily.

"Akashi~ You should know to look down here for us by now~" she chastised.

The redhead laughed softly. "Ah, I suppose you're right. I just always forget how short you are." He placed a hand atop her head to emphasize his point, and she scrunched up her nose at him, a playful glare in her eyes.

"I'm not short! I'll have you know, I'm the tallest in my class!"

"Unless the other kids grew over summer break," Kuroko interrupted, waltzing in with a smile on his face. "There's cookies on the stove, by the way."

Once again, Akashi's breath was taken away, as it always was when Kuroko entered his sight. But he masked it well, smiling brightly as he leaned forward just enough to kiss the bluenette's lips over Sakura's head.

"Hey, I'm still here!" she yelled.

Both adults laughed, Akashi ruffling her hair once more as Kuroko turned to pick Takeru up into his arms.

Akashi raised a brow, a playful glint in his eyes. "Tetsuya, if you keep picking him up like that, he'll forget how to walk."

Kuroko smiled, nuzzling the boy's cheek. "Hush, Akashi, he's my precious baby, and I can spoil him all I want~"

Takeru merely giggled, swatting at Kuroko's tickling hair. Akashi shrugged, a heavy, dramatized sigh on his lips. "But that's no fair, you know? I suppose I have no choice-" and before Sakura was even aware of it, she was being lifted high into the air, onto the redhead's shoulders.

"I'm taller than Daddy!" she exclaimed.

Said bluenette poked his lips out in a pout. "Ne, that's no fair, Saku~"

Akashi grinned as the two continued to argue, even though Sakura's fingers were dug painfully into his hair. It was worth it to see such a bright smile on Kuroko's face.

XXX

It was nearing midnight. The children had been tucked into bed a mere hour before, having been too excited to wrangle at their normal bedtime of eight. Kuroko was surprised to find Akashi was still here. Pleasantly surprised, that is. The bluenette was sitting alone on the sofa, whilst Akashi rested in the armchair just opposite of him, the only boundary between them being the coffee table.

The redhead was looking thoughtfully into the distance, and Kuroko tilted his head, curious as to what he was thinking. After a moment, he decided he would simply ask the very question.

"What's on your mind, Akashi?"

Akashi's gaze flickered toward him instantly, a softness growing in their depths, but there was still very much curiosity. "Ah, I was just wondering… why Sakura doesn't look like her mother…"

Kuroko's body tensed lightly, and his eyes immediately wandered to the family portrait on the fireplace's mantle, the last picture they'd all taken before his wife had passed. He smiled sadly, his eyes grazing over the image of the woman, with her bright blue eyes and long blonde hair.

Akashi fidgeted in his seat. "I'm sorry, I-"

"No, don't be," he interrupted, turning back to his worried crimson gaze. "It's a normal question. Anyone that has seen her mother would realize there is little to no resemblance. The simple truth is, Ayumi isn't Sakura's mother… Not biologically, anyway."

The redhead's brows furrowed, though he had considered the possibility. "So she's adopted then."

Kuroko nodded. "Yes.. We were supposed to have twins, you know?"

Akashi's eyes widened slightly as Kuroko's own crystal depths became slightly clouded. "Twins..?"

"Yes, a boy and a girl."

The redhead could only stare at him as his eyes began welling with tears. Tears that, Akashi guessed, he hadn't shed in years.

"Did you know that it's common for one twin to completely absorb the other whilst in the womb?"

Akashi frowned, but nodded. "Vanishing Twin Syndrome," he muttered.

Kuroko nodded back. "I think it would have been easier on her, if that had been the case… But we had our little girl, only, she wasn't breathing…"

"Stillbirth…"

"Yes…" He paused, he wasn't sure why he was telling Akashi these things. They'd only been seeing each other for a couple of weeks, but even so, Kuroko had never mentioned any of this aloud, not even to his already knowing friends. He had simply thought the matter would stay hidden in his heart forever, even if he had managed to find someone new to spend his life with. Even realizing that this was strange, he couldn't keep himself from continuing.

"Ayumi was devastated… I was too, of course, but… I wasn't the one that carried her inside of me for nine months… Then one day, Ayumi said, 'I can't do this anymore.'"

Akashi didn't miss the way Kuroko's voice cracked every time he said 'Ayumi' or 'her.'

"I asked her what she meant, and she said, 'I can't keep living like this. Even with three people in this house, it's too empty. There's two of everything, mocking me, always reminding me that something- someone is missing.'"

The redhead nodded solemnly. "So you suggested adoption."

Kuroko smiled, tears finally pouring onto his cheeks. Akashi had vaguely wondered how long they would stay frozen in his eyes. The bluenette swiped at them halfheartedly.

"It was the best thing we could've done. I hadn't really wanted to, because I felt like we were just replacing one daughter for another… But when we got there, and we saw Sakura… We both fell in love with her." His smile widened, and his eyes flickered back to the picture, this time landing on his beloved daughter. "We were surprised to find that she was only two days older than Takeru… And in the end, we didn't even name her the name we'd picked out for his twin… So you see, I don't have just two children." He looked back to Akashi, more tears spilling forth. "I have three.. Only, one isn't here to share the life I've made for them…"

Akashi quickly stood to his feet, walking over to kneel on the sofa beside the bluenette. Lightly grasping Kuroko's shoulders, he pulled him against his chest, positioning the slightly smaller male between his legs. Kuroko complied easily enough, even lifting his legs onto the sofa to make himself comfortable. Akashi wrapped his arms around him, kissing his hair, and Kuroko's hands grasped tightly at his arms, seeking the comfort that, if anyone, only Akashi could give.

"I'm sorry to bring up such a painful memory…"

Kuroko shook his head, looking up to meet his gaze. "It's okay. I think.. I think I n-needed to talk a-about it…"

The redhead smiled sadly, leaning down to kiss one of the many tears away. He was happy to find the familiar blush appear on the bluenette's cheeks. He pulled away though, his smile fading as he rested his chin atop Kuroko's mop of hair. Kuroko couldn't see his eyes anymore, but he could feel the thoughtfulness of the redhead, practically see his expression contorting into that which he always wore when he was concentrating hard on something in particular.

Before Kuroko could ask what that thing might be, his unspoken question was answered.

"When's the last time you did something for yourself, Tetsuya?"

The bluenette blinked. "Being with you is for myself." His heart skipped a beat at the chuckle that followed.

"I mean before I stumbled into your life."

Kuroko's brows furrowed as he thought about it. The last time he'd truly done something for himself… "Eh.. high school?"

Akashi sighed, his breath tickling Kuroko's skin. "I figured as much… I think, we should have a little excursion. Or you should, anyway…"

Kuroko lifted his head to look at the redhead once more, finding nothing but concern in the crimson gaze he'd come to be so familiar with. "An excursion?"

Akashi nodded. "… First, I don't think you've allowed yourself to experience the proper grieving process, so I would suggest visiting your family's graves. Tell them how you miss them, and the things they've missed, the things you would do if they were still here. Get all those emotions out in the open… Then maybe even visit a few of your wife's favorite places, remember her, let the memories wash over you. It would be painful, I know, but I think you should let those memories bring a smile to your face at least one more time. And then, when you're done, you and I can go on a little trip. Just for a few days, to make memories together, to prove to your heart that there can be a future, not just for your children, but for you."

The bluenette was stunned into silence as he stared up at the other man. Before he could speak, more tears surfaced, and he quickly swatted them away. "Th-that sounds… so nice…"

Akashi breathed a silent sigh of relief. He'd been worried Kuroko would reject the idea immediately. His arms tightened around the smaller man instinctively.

"B-but, Akashi..."

"Yes?"

"I assume you want it to be just the two of us?"

Akashi pursed his lips. "It's not that I don't want the munchkins around. I just think it'd be better for you to do this one thing alone."

The bluenette nodded. "The only th-thing is.. I don't have anywhere to take th-them…"

"Doesn't Momoi like to watch them?"

"Yes, but I can't ask her to do that…"

The redhead's brows furrowed, but he didn't question the matter. He knew Kuroko didn't really have a reason for it. The man just didn't want to intrude on other peoples' lives. He sighed lightly. "What about your parents?"

Kuroko's body stilled immediately, and Akashi mentally cursed himself for hitting what appeared to be yet another open sore for the man. "M-my parents…"

Akashi pulled Kuroko tighter against his chest, nuzzling his neck. "I'm sorry, you don't have to tell me."

The bluenette didn't seem to hear him. "My father left us when I was young…" The redhead didn't want to hear the story now, didn't want to make Kuroko relive yet another painful memory. Kuroko seemed to finally understand this, as he turned to look up at him with a comforting smile. "It's okay, it's not that painful. I've talked about this one before."

Akashi blinked at him, before a small frown found its way onto his lips. Kuroko took this is a sign to continue, his eyes never leaving the redhead's.

"My mother kicked me out when I was sixteen. I haven't spoken to her since."

Crimson eyes widened drastically, as they searched Kuroko's entire body for any reason a mother would do such a thing, as if the reason truly lay in his body. The bluenette laughed softly at the reaction, causing a light blush to cross the redhead's usually pale face.

"It's because I'm bisexual," he supplied, leaning up to kiss one of the redhead's warmed cheeks.

Akashi's brows furrowed, his heart hammering in his chest. His blush disappeared almost immediately, and rage and discomfort swirled in the pit of his stomach. "She kicked you out for that, huh… That's ridiculous, you're her son!"

Kuroko nodded, a small sad smile on his lips. "I knew it would happen before I told her. She had always openly despised same sex relationships. That's why I had already asked Kagami if I could move in with him before I even told her."

Akashi blinked at him. "What if she hadn't kicked you out?"

"I would've left anyway. Her comments had already hurt me enough, and regardless of where I lived, she wouldn't have accepted me."

The redhead frowned deeply, musing over the whole situation. Finally he sighed, closing his eyes as he rested his chin atop Kuroko's head once more, thankful that, at least, the tears had stopped amidst their conversation. "That's still a terrible thing for a mother to do… But back to the topic at hand, is there anyone you can think of that would be willing to watch the children? Just for a weekend."

Kuroko bit the inside of his cheek. Plenty of people were willing, it was simply a matter of comfort, and the bluenette was not comfortable asking such a thing of his friends, and he was quite a skeptic toward strangers. "None that I would like to ask…"

Akashi sighed, having known the answer before he even asked. "Don't worry then," he said, "I'll find someone. And you'll trust them." He noticed the way Kuroko's body tensed and fell again at his words. He smiled at the reaction, glad the bluenette had so much faith in him.

"… But, Akashi, the summer break is almost over."

"Then we'll just have to go sooner than expected."


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura pouted as she held the bag of candy firmly within her small grasp. _"But Daddy~"_

Kuroko sighed, not bothering to look at her as he continued plucking things from the shelves, throwing the food they _needed i_ nto the cart. "No, Sakura, not today."

The little girl huffed but went to return the bag to its rightful place on the shelves. Akashi, having watched the scene quietly, glanced at Kuroko's oblivious form before silently dashing after the much smaller redhead.

"Hey Saku," he whispered, and she spun around to face him with her large crystal blue eyes, head tilted much in the same way he'd seen Kuroko's. He was always surprised when he saw the children mimic their father's movements, finding them undeniably cute. He smiled, as he gestured toward the candy, still held between her fingers. "I'll buy that for you, if you promise to share with your brother."

Her eyes widened, and a grin stretched across her lips, but the redhead didn't miss the glint of mischief in her eyes. "I promise!"

Akashi grinned, though he had to wonder what the hell he was doing. He simply couldn't help it. Seeing the little girl without her trademark smile just felt _wrong._ He pulled his finger to his lips, an appropriately silent 'shh'ing gesture. He smiled as Sakura repeated the action before handing the candy over into his hands.

"Tell Tetsuya I went to the restroom, okay?"

Sakura nodded, and began to skip off, but Akashi caught her arm at the last second.

"And don't twirl."

She giggled, nodding her understanding before leaving him behind. The redhead really didn't know what he was doing. But he'd already promised the girl her candy. With a sigh and a slight question of his sanity, he made his way to the cashiers to buy the candy, being extra careful not to be seen by his boyfriend.

He stopped short as the word crossed his mind. He'd already handed over the candy to the cashier, and was pulling out the money when the thought occurred to him. He realized then, he wasn't really sure what he and Kuroko were. They'd been dating for a little over a month now. That was enough to say they were in a relationship, wasn't it? Then again, they'd never had that conversation, and in reality, they'd only been on three actual dates. What if Kuroko didn't want to see him, exclusively? Why did that thought cause a sharp pain in his chest?

"Uh, sir?"

He snapped back to reality as the lanky teenager behind the counter raised a brow at him. Akashi thought for a moment he should tell the boy to keep his mouth shut before flies decided to nest there, but he thought better of it. Smiling apologetically, he handed him the money, grabbed the small bag of candy, and told him to keep the change.

Should he had done that? That was a rather large tip. He shrugged it off, didn't matter. Shoving the candy into his pocket, he quickly returned to Kuroko's side, sending a quick wink to his partner in crime.

Kuroko rolled his eyes as Akashi appeared again. Even without Sakura's tell-tale eyes, he'd known what the redhead was up to. Akashi was such a pushover when it came to the children, especially Sakura. He decided he'd bring it up later… Maybe.

Though he wouldn't admit it aloud, he actually found it rather cute.

XXX

As the children helped Kuroko unpack the groceries, Akashi stared at the calendar on the wall. He stared long and hard at the date surrounded by a large red circle _. September 1_ _st_. The day school began again. He sighed, looking back to the present date.

"Tetsuya, there's only two weeks left…"

The bluenette paused in his unloading, glancing over his shoulder at the redhead. He smiled lightly. "If you can find someone, we can still go."

Another sigh fell through Akashi's lips. He considered telling Kuroko his plan, but thought better of it. He wasn't even sure it would work. Or if he should be doing such a thing. He shook the thought away as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Flipping the device out, he realized he couldn't go back now anyway.

"I have to go," he said casually, instantly earning two simultaneous whines of complaint.

"Do you have to?"

"Akashi~"

The redhead laughed lightly at the children as they ran to him, clinging onto his legs. He ruffled their hair, smiling down at them. "Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Tomorrow?" Takeru asked, surprising both Akashi and Kuroko. Takeru was not one to voice his opinions often, so the blatant longing laced in his voice came as a slight shock even to his father.

"Probably," Akashi answered, and that seemed to be enough for the boy.

Sakura puffed out her cheeks, and Akashi couldn't help but poke them, eliciting a giggle from her. "Come back soon."

He nodded. "Of course." As the children finally released him from their bonds, he crossed the room to Kuroko, the bluenette meeting him halfway with a kiss. He paused, "I'd like to talk to you about something later."

Kuroko's brows furrowed, and his head tilted to the side, much like Sakura's had earlier. The memory brought a chuckle to Akashi's lips.

"Don't worry about it," he added, noting the concerned look in his.. whatever-he-was's eyes. "I'll call you later?"

The bluenette smiled, his worries vanishing in an instant. "Anytime."

Akashi shot him one last grin before waltzing out into the summer heat.

XXX

It was three days later when Akashi showed back up again, apologizing profusely to his little munchkins for having been too busy to come sooner. They let him off the hook easily enough, all he had to do was have dinner with them.

It was well after said dinner, when the children were put to bed, that Akashi sat next to Kuroko on the sofa, his body turned toward the bluenette so he could see him more clearly.

"I found someone, Tetsuya."

Kuroko's eyes lit up, and he could tell he'd caught his attention. "Who?"

The redhead paused. This was the tricky part. "You're… not going to like it right away."

Kuroko's brows furrowed. "Why not? You said I'd like them-"

"And you will. Just, not right away…" As Kuroko continued to stare at him as if he was crazy, the redhead took a deep breath, hoping this wouldn't mess anything up instead of helping the situation. "I… I've been talking to a woman, and… you know her well, and she'd love to watch the children for a couple of days."

He could practically see the gears turning in the bluenette's head, trying to find the image or name of a woman he knew that would do such a thing. He also knew that the only person he'd come up with was Momoi, and they both knew she'd already been crossed off the ever-small list of possibilities.

"…Who?" His eyes narrowed dangerously, and that's when Akashi knew he'd understood.

The redhead laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck as he avoided the bluenette's glaring eyes. "She feels bad about her mistakes, and she'd really like to meet her grandchildren."

Kuroko's eyes closed, and his fingers rubbed at his temples as a heavy sigh fell from his lips. "Akashi Seijuro… You didn't…"

Akashi smiled sheepishly. "I was at a loss."

Kuroko sighed, opening his eyes to glare at the redhead, causing him to flinch. Never had he seen such a look on Kuroko's face. But he found it.. oddly endearing.

"Tetsuya, I'm sorry, but, she really wants to see you again."

The bluenette frowned deeply, but the glare was gone. "… How did you even find her?"

"I have access to a lot of files… It wasn't hard to find one on your mother…"

"… Does she really want to see me?"

He nodded. "She said she regrets telling you to leave. And if she'd known how to get a hold of you, she'd have told you so sooner."

Kuroko was quiet for a long while before another sigh came forth. "I'm not letting them stay there until I see her for myself."

Akashi nodded. "Of course, I've already told her as much."

The bluenette raised a brow at him. "And I suppose you've already set up a meeting, haven't you?"

Akashi smiled proudly. "You know me so well."

Kuroko rolled his eyes, but leaned into the redhead, nuzzling into his warmth. Akashi welcomed him, wrapping his arms around his body tightly. "Is that what you wanted to talk about the other day?"

The redhead paused, looking down at the man in his arms. "You've been thinking about that all this time, haven't you?"

Kuroko nodded slowly. "… So it wasn't, then."

Akashi frowned at the worry in his voice, and he lifted his chin to face him before planting a chaste kiss on his lips. "It's nothing bad, Tetsuya… I just wanted to discuss, us."

The bluenette's body relaxed, but his brows knitted together. "What about us?"

"… What exactly, are we?"

Kuroko blinked up at him for a long while, his expression softening until there was none. His eyes were as clear as ever, and there wasn't a single crinkle in his stoic mask. Finally, he merely shrugged. "I assumed we were dating. Exclusively, I mean."

The redhead let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, an involuntary smile playing on his lips. "That.. That makes me so happy, Tetsuya."

His cheeks flushed, and he quickly ducked his head beneath the redhead's chin, nuzzling into him. Akashi couldn't really understand his mumbling, but he thought it sounded awfully like the word, _'moron.'_


	5. Chapter 5

Kuroko was a nervous wreck as he sat in the passenger seat of Akashi's car, said redhead driving at what seemed to Kuroko to be an excruciatingly slow pace.

"Can't we go any faster?"

Akashi glanced at him worriedly, before pointing out, matter-of-factly, "We're already going twenty over the speed limit, Tetsuya."

The bluenette's eyes widened. "What? Slow down, Akashi!"

Akashi rolled his eyes but didn't change his pace either way. "Tetsuya, relax. Close your eyes, and count to fifty. We'll be there before you know it."

Kuroko sighed heavily but did as he was told, mentally counting the numbers as darkness covered his vision.

 _One…_

 _Two…._

By the time he'd gotten to thirty-four, he felt the car pull to a gentle stop, Akashi pulling the keys out of the ignition. Opening his eyes, his heart leapt into his throat. He was staring directly at his childhood home, and the sheer memory of it was enough to make him feel almost sick as Akashi opened his door for him.

Suddenly Kuroko was all too fine with letting the kids stay with Momoi for more than a day. Akashi sensed this, and he lightly pulled the bluenette into a kiss, severing all nervous thoughts from his brain.

Smiling at him as he pulled away, he grasped his boyfriend's hand and led him to the door. It wasn't long before a tiny, frail woman with the same powder blue hair came to the door, tears already springing to her sea green eyes.

"Tetsuya…"

The bluenette bit his lip as his mother slowly, hesitantly, embraced him. Looking over the woman's shoulder, he came face to face with Akashi's disapproving grimace. With a sigh, Kuroko gently placed his own arms around the woman, feeling her smile and her tears on his skin.

As the three of them sat around the table, drinking the hot tea Ms. Kuroko had prepared earlier, Kuroko wasted no time in asking the single question he'd been thinking since Akashi told him he'd found her in the first place.

"Mother, why are you suddenly so accepting?"

The woman froze in her place, having been in the middle of a light conversation with the redhead beside him. She smiled sadly, averting her gaze to the tea in her hands. "A lot happened after you left," she said softly, "I'm ashamed to say I didn't truly realize, or rather, accept, my mistake until the night of your graduation. I was there, you know?" She smiled, and the sight was heartbreaking. "I wanted so badly to hold you again, to tell you that I had messed up, that I loved you… But you left before I could find you in the crowd, and I had no idea where you were off to…"

Kuroko frowned. "I got married, Mother."

Tears sprang to her eyes, and she nodded, turning her gaze back to her son. "I heard. I bet she was a lovely woman… Akashi here, told me she passed, and I'm very sorry that I never got to meet her…"

The bluenette's first response was to say that had been her fault, but he bit his tongue on the matter. "You would've liked her," he said instead.

She smiled. "I'm sure I would… And your children… Oh please let me meet them, Tetsuya. I missed too much of your life, I don't want to miss theirs as well."

Kuroko pursed his lips, his eyes flickering to the redhead beside him. "I won't keep you from your grandchildren," he said at last, and the woman's relief was evident in her slowly-relaxing body. "But, do you really accept me, as I am, Mother?"

The woman paused, a sad look crossing her features. "Of course, Tetsuya. I don't ever want to lose you again…"

Kuroko bit the inside of his lip, remembering that on the car ride here, he'd addressed this very issue with Akashi.

" _Did you tell her who you were to me?"_

 _Akashi sighed, never taking his eyes from the road. "No, as much as I want to announce to everyone I meet that you are mine, I figured that discussion should be left to you and your mother."_

He sighed. "In that case, Mother, meet Akashi Seijuro," he gestured toward the man, "my boyfriend."

Ms. Kuroko's eyes widened, and she looked between the two males for a long time. In the silence, Kuroko wondered if the past was going to repeat itself over, when the thought was shattered as she smiled brightly at him.

"You've picked a good man then, Tetsuya."

Despite how unexpected the reply was, Kuroko's cheeks were instantly flushed. "E-eh, don't say that like we're getting married or something!"

The woman laughed softly, Akashi following suit. Kuroko groaned as he rolled his eyes, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Anyway, you want to watch the kids, right?"

She smiled, a light giggle still playing on her lips. "I do."

Kuroko nodded, short and approving. "Very well. Akashi, when are we leaving?"

The redhead shared a knowing look with his boyfriend's mother before answering, "This weekend, if you're up for it."

Another blush crossed his cheeks, but he nodded again, as serious as ever. "That's fine. We'll drop the children off here Friday evening, then."

Ms. Kuroko beamed at the very idea of finally meeting her grandchildren. "Excellent! You won't regret this, Tetsuya!"

And then the bluenette surprised them both, with a soft, loving smile. "I know."


	6. Chapter 6

Kuroko felt oddly cold as he stood under the sun, its warm rays doing little to help his shivering. Akashi had been worried he was becoming sick, but the bluenette knew it was more of a mental thing. The redhead now stood, leant against his car window, watching his boyfriend from afar. Kuroko had asked him to stay there whilst he did the one thing he'd never thought he'd do again- visit his family's graves.

He was knelt between both of them, rereading their names etched on the stones over and over again, as if he wasn't really sure they were here, or if they were dead at all. But he was sure, and his heart was aching.

' _Kumiko… Ayumi… Kumiko… Ayumi…'_

Finally, the bluenette forced his eyes away from the stones, focusing on the grass beneath him. Tears were already starting to prick at his eyes, and he didn't bother to hold them back. For a moment, he felt absolutely foolish, trying to find the right words to say to a couple of stones. But then he pushed the thought aside, thinking that instead of stones, he was simply using them as a gateway to talk to his beloved family. It still seemed rather silly in the back of his mind, but he knew Akashi was right, he needed to do this.

With a deep breath, and still no idea where to begin, he forced himself to speak. He was only slightly shocked to hear his voice crack as a hoarse whisper.

"Ayumi.. I miss you… I'm sorry I couldn't h-help you when you were h-here. I'm g-grateful for the time I had with y-you though." He smiled, lightly brushing a tear away. His eyes closed, and he could practically see his wife sitting in front of him, smiling reassuringly at him, as she always had. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but realized he couldn't, and it shot another pang through his chest. The image of Ayumi frowned slightly, and he could've sworn he heard her voice say, _"Don't cry."_

Kuroko laughed softly, for lack of a better response. "The children are doing well, t-they miss you too though. Sakura's q-quite the mischievous one. Sh-she gets that from you… Takeru's still q-quiet, like me… But they're h-happy and smart and you would l-love them so much more now than b-before." He smiled at the thought of his children, reliving the memories he'd made with them throughout their short lives. "I d-didn't think such a thing was possible, but, I l-love them more everyday… I bet, you have K-Kumiko, though. I'm s-sure you understand then…"

His voice was cracking more and more, and it was beginning to hurt to even breathe. "…I w-wish I could've met you, K-Kumiko…" He brushed away more tears, lifting his head to smile at the stones, as if they were his family and not just lifeless objects to mark their final resting place. His fingers lightly brushed along the edges of both stones, a gentle caress he'd never bestow upon his wife or child again, at least not in this life.

"Don't w-worry about me though, o-okay, Ayumi? That r-redhead over there, he's something special…" he smiled, chancing a glance at said redhead. "But I-I'll always love you.. both of you…"

With one last featherlike caress, the bluenette shakily stood to his feet and made his way over to the car, his fingers swiping at the few remaining tears on his cheeks.

Akashi opened the door for him, and he thanked him quietly, his throat still aching from the strain he'd put it through. The redhead sat in the driver's seat, smiling at him reassuringly. "I'm proud of you," was all he said, before turning the keys in the ignition and driving forward.

Kuroko didn't say anything at the time, but the statement had filled him with a sense of hope and accomplishment he had thought impossible to ever feel again.

XXX

The bluenette had given Akashi a list of places he wanted to visit after the graves. The playground, his wife's favorite restaurant, the pet store where they'd spend their time when they couldn't afford an actual date, etc.

Now the two were at the very last place on the list, a little coffee shop on the outskirts of town. It was a quaint place, didn't seem to get too much business, but it had been here for nearly twenty years, and seemed to be doing well enough. As Akashi waltzed over to sit beside his boyfriend, two small coffees in his hands, the bluenette decided to tell him about this place.

A content smile was on his face as he took one of the coffees from the redhead's hands, his eyes still wandering over the walls. "Ayumi introduced this place to me."

Akashi took a sip of his coffee before turning slightly in his seat, propping his elbow on the table as he looked at the bluenette curiously. "It's a nice place."

He nodded. "It is. She had found it by accident one night, when a storm hit, and she was forced to take shelter. The people here were incredibly nice, even gave her free coffee and a small meal when she'd told them she had no money on her. We came here for our first date, actually."

Akashi smiled, and he could see the distance in Kuroko's eyes. He wondered if the bluenette even realized he was still there, but it didn't matter, as long as he left here feeling refreshed.

"I remember she ordered for me, because I had never had coffee at the time. Whatever she ordered, was absolutely _horrible."_ He chuckled lightly at the memory, shaking his head. "She apologized all night…"

His crystal eyes suddenly glazed over, and Akashi thought, for but a moment, he'd turned into a doll. The redhead cocked his head curiously, leaning forward to get a better look into his eyes. At that moment, Kuroko turned to look back at him, and in an instant, the haze was gone. His eyes were as bright as ever, and he smiled softly at the redhead.

"Thank you for bringing me here," he said warmly.

Akashi didn't know why, but the way he'd said that brought a light tinge of pink to his cheeks. He quickly took a sip of his coffee to hide it before answering with a kind smile, "My pleasure. Do you feel better?"

Kuroko nodded before leaning back into his seat, even scooting closer to the redhead so he could rest his head on his shoulder. "I feel much better."

The redhead smiled, placing a kiss to the top of his head as he continued drinking his coffee.

"I'm glad."

XXX

When the couple had arrived back to Kuroko's house, Momoi had sprung on them both, giggling happily as they struggled to breathe. Since Kuroko had come out to meet the redhead that morning, Akashi hadn't yet met Momoi, and he was certainly surprised by her surprise attack.

Kuroko supposed he should have given the man a warning, but seeing the look on his face was enough to make him think it was worth it. Never had he seen Akashi look so surprised. It was quite comical, and after his unusually long laughing fit, he told him so.

Momoi had taken but a moment to gush over Kuroko's laughter, "It's been so long since you've laughed like that~" And then she was off, with the excuse of, "Dai-chan is making me run his errands again, that stupid boy, can't do anything for himself~!"

Whilst Akashi followed Kuroko to his bedroom, the one room he hadn't seen much of, the redhead's brows furrowed in thought. Kuroko noticed this, but said nothing as he pulled out his empty suitcase. It wouldn't be long before Akashi spoke his mind. And as he began neatly packing his clothes into the luggage, Akashi finally did speak.

"She likes you."

Kuroko glanced at him from the corner of his eye. He noticed the look of hurt across the redhead's face as he stared at the floor. "I know," he muttered.

Akashi turned that look on him now, his brows furrowing. "She maybe even, loves you…"

The bluenette sighed, turning to meet Akashi's gaze. "I know…"

"… Has she told you?"

He nodded. "When I started dating Ayumi, she told me. I told her that I didn't see her that way, and that I was in love."

Akashi's expression only continued to contort into a more painful one, pulling at Kuroko's heartstrings. "Yet, she stood by you. Watched you marry once, have children. Looks after your children even now, and just.. hugged the shit out of your _new boyfriend_ …"

Kuroko smiled sadly, plopping onto the bed. "I know. Why do you think I'm so hesitant about asking for her help?" He ran a hand through his hair, a soft sigh on his lips. "I've asked her many times why she stays with me. She said that if she can't be the one I love, then she'll be the best friend I'll ever have."

The redhead slumped against the wall, and Kuroko had never seen his posture break in such a way. It seemed rather tragic, desperate almost. His crimson eyes were glazed over as he stared at the floor in thought.

"I feel.. so sorry for her…"

Kuroko blinked, standing to walk over to the redhead. He gently ran a hand through his boyfriend's hair. "I know, I do too. I'm hoping she finds someone soon, someone that can love her the way I can't."

Akashi turned to look back at Kuroko, and the bluenette's breath hitched in his throat. Before he could fully process the situation, Akashi's arms were wrapped tightly around his body, his lips on his own. Kuroko had never felt so much emotion in Akashi's kisses. In fact, the two had never shared more than a quick peck of the lips. After a long moment that somehow seemed too short, Akashi pulled away slowly, his eyes no longer clouded, but glossy with unshed tears.

"I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't have you," he whispered.

Kuroko's eyes were wide, his heart thudding painfully hard in his chest. He smiled softly, brushing away the lone tear that escaped Akashi's pools of red. "Don't think about it, love," he whispered back, "I'm yours."

XXX

"Their bedtime is at eight, no later than nine!"

"Alright-"

"And make sure Sakura eats all her food, she sometimes likes to hide it!"

"Okay-"

"And make sure they wash their hair really well, their tiny fingers can't always-"

"Tetsuya, will you calm down? I raised you, didn't I?"

The bluenette sighed heavily, leaning into his boyfriend's chuckling embrace. He had never left his children alone for more than a few hours, and the thought of doing so was really starting to get to him.

His mother smiled, her sea green eyes sparkling in a manner that actually seemed to calm Kuroko's racing pulse. "They'll be fine, Tetsuya. They'll be the same children they are now, when you get back."

"But cleaner," he demanded, nodding toward the munchkins that had decided it had been a good time to roll down the hill outside before coming in to meet their grandmother.

Ms. Kuroko laughed. "Yes, much cleaner."

He nodded, breathing out a long, slow sigh. "Okay. I'm trusting you, all of you." His eyes darted to his children once more, and they ran up to him with their blinding smiles, attaching themselves to each of his legs.

"Have fun with Akashi, Daddy!"

"Bring us back stuff!"

Kuroko laughed as he leaned down to hug his children tightly before releasing them onto the redhead behind him. Akashi let out an _'oomph'_ as the two slammed their tiny bodies into his, but he smiled down at them warmly, ruffling their hair.

"Take care of Daddy!"

"Bring us back stuff!"

Akashi laughed, poking each of their noses. "Alright, and, maybe." He winked at Sakura, pulling a knowing giggle from her lips.

Kuroko and Akashi both hugged the bluenette's mother goodbye, and they made their exit, the noisy goodbye's and I love you's following them out the door and to the car.


	7. Chapter 7

Kuroko had expected the trip to be at least two hours, what with the distance and the heavy weekend traffic. He really should've known by now though, Akashi was not one to waste time. The redhead sped through the streets, causing Kuroko's heartrate to accelerate greatly, and even pulled a few stunts Kuroko was sure were illegal. When prompted about them, Akashi merely shrugged.

"I didn't get pulled over, did I?"

And that was when Kuroko knew he was dating a maniac. Still, he had to give the man credit. They arrived at their hotel in Kamogawa in a little over an hour.

Whilst Kuroko stood off to the side in the lobby, still panting heavily at the speed Akashi had traveled, the redhead spoke with the receptionist and got them checked in. When he came back to the bluenette's side, his smile was warm, but smug. Kuroko pouted, slapping his chest halfheartedly as Akashi chuckled at him.

"Come, love, our room awaits."

Kuroko's cheeks warmed to a nice rosy colour as he followed the redhead silently.

He also had to give Akashi credit for planning the entire trip himself. He had made the hotel reservations, gotten them a spectacular room with a marvelous view, already had room service ordered for the next two days, and planned their activities. Kuroko was more than happy to let him take the reins, having no idea how to plan such a relaxing excursion.

There was one thing Akashi had failed to mention, though. As the couple entered their luxurious room, Kuroko's eyes immediately fell upon the bed. The single, full sized bed. Another blush crept its way to his cheeks as he turned to Akashi.

The redhead was also looking at the bed, though Kuroko couldn't quite read his expression. Finally, he sighed softly, running a hand through his hair as he took the bags and set them to the side. "I suppose I should've paid more attention to the number of beds," he noted.

Kuroko rolled his eyes. So it hadn't been intentional. Looking back to the bed, he bit the inside of his lip. Akashi soon interrupted his thoughts with, "I'll go talk to the receptionist."

The bluenette instinctively shot his hand out to catch Akashi's arm, the redhead's eyes widening as Kuroko refused to look him in the eye. His cheeks were warmer than ever, and he kept shifting his weight.

"I-it's okay, isn't it? I m-mean, I don't m-mind…"

Akashi blinked at him before smiling, moving back over to the bluenette. He wrapped his arms around him loosely, kissing his forehead. "You're adorable. If you're really okay with sharing, I am, too."

Kuroko only nodded, his face radiating heat to the point that Akashi could feel it through his shirt. The bluenette then pushed Akashi away lightly before moving to the bed, falling onto it with a soft thump.

"It's comfy."

Akashi chuckled to himself as he made his way to the bed as well, being sure to lie down in a more gentle, self-respecting manner. His long fingers trailed through his boyfriend's blue hair, his crimson eyes grazing over his face. Silently, he leaned forward, pressing a long, slow kiss to the bluenette's lips.

Kuroko didn't want him to pull away, he was quite enjoying the simple feel of Akashi's lips on his own, but the redhead had to break away at some point. He smiled down at Kuroko, and it was as if he was seeing him again for the first time. The redhead's heart suddenly skipped a beat in his chest, and he felt nervous for absolutely no reason at all. Laughing to himself, he lay back onto the bed, wrapping his arms around Kuroko as he turned to rest his head on his chest.

"You do strange things to me, Tetsuya."

The bluenette _'hmmed'_ curiously, but he was far too tired to conjure up any actual response. Akashi could only smile at him as he fell into a deep sleep.

XXX

The next day was when Kuroko's relaxation would officially begin. That is, after he finally got off the phone with his children. Even from the door, where Akashi stood retrieving their breakfast and tipping the server, the excited squeals of Sakura could be heard. The server had a rather confused look on his face as he left the room, but Akashi found it rather amusing.

Sauntering back over to the bluenette, he leaned in close- not missing Kuroko's resulting blush- and spoke into the phone, "The whole hotel can hear you, Saku." He laughed to himself as he heard the girl's protests, returning his attention to the food at hand.

Kuroko was desperately trying to calm his daughter down so his poor mother wouldn't lose her hearing, but his focus was severely disrupted when he saw the magnificent food Akashi had brought.

"…Sorry, Sakura, but I have to go. I love you, tell your brother too!"

He could still hear the little girl's cries of love and 'buy us stuff' as he clicked the end button. Akashi chuckled at how wide the bluenette's eyes were, as if he hadn't seen food in days. He gently pushed the food toward his boyfriend with a smile.

"Eat up, we have a big day ahead of us."

XXX

In a way, Akashi's words had been true. Though Kuroko didn't feel like they'd done much at all. He supposed that was the point of this trip anyway, to relax and not feel like he only had so much time to do so many things. Breakfast had been followed by a relaxing three hours at the spa, where he'd felt all of his tension _, years of it_ , melt away. This was followed by the heartiest lunch he had ever eaten, and the most delicious chocolate lava cake he'd ever tasted. After another quick –twenty minute long- call to his mother's house, the couple went out to the beach, strolling along the sandy shore as they talked about anything and everything they could think of. They had stayed out there for a long while, until darkness settled over the sea.

Kuroko watched the sand move out from below his feet as he stepped along the shoreline, feeling the waves tickle his ankles. Smiling, he turned to find Akashi looking back at him, and the look on the redhead's face was enough to bring a slight warmth to his own cheeks.

"W-why are you looking at me like that?" he whispered, his hand instinctively reaching for Akashi's.

Akashi grinned at the gesture, squeezing Kuroko's fingers within his own as they continued walking. "I was just thinking of how amazing you are."

Kuroko laughed softly, looking up at the night sky. He was surprised, and very happy, to find that here, the city lights didn't affect the natural beauty of the sky. The stars were bright and gleaming, shining like they'd never shone before. Akashi noticed this as well, but not by looking upward. He preferred to catch the reflection in Kuroko's crystal eyes.

"Tetsuya…"

"Yes?" Kuroko whispered back, not breaking his gaze from the sky. He was too lost in the stars, just as Akashi was too lost in his eyes.

"I think I love you."

Kuroko's crystal orbs widened, his heart seeming to stop in his chest. He turned to find Akashi with a light blush on his cheeks, but the strongest longing he'd ever seen lay in his ruby gaze. Kuroko's lips were trembling, but they slowly stretched into a smile.

"I think, I love you too."


	8. Chapter 8

"Daddy!"

Kuroko grinned as both of his children ran outside of his mother's house, sprinting toward him before he was even out of the car. Sakura was intercepted before she could reach her father, Akashi coming in to swoop her high into the air. Her squeals pierced both males' ears, but their smiles never faltered. Kuroko stooped slightly to pick Takeru up as well.

"Daddy, did you have fun?" the little boy asked.

Kuroko kissed his hair lightly. "I did. Did you have fun with your grandmother?"

"Yep!"

Sakura giggled, pretending to fight against Akashi's hold as he pretended to almost drop her. "Did you buy us stuff?" she asked, her back arched over the redhead's arms as she looked at her father upside down.

Kuroko pursed his lips and looked up at the sky in mock-thought. "Hmm, did we buy you anything?"

Akashi made a confused face. "You know, I think we forgot that."

The bluenette nodded. "Me too."

Sakura threw her head back up to look at Akashi, her face puffed out in a pout. "But you winked!"

Akashi laughed softly before putting her on the ground. "So I did, and a wink is a promise, isn't it?"

"Yep~" both kids chorused.

Kuroko smiled as Akashi reached into his pocket, pulling forth two small bags. He handed one to Sakura, and one to Takeru. Of course, Sakura had hers opened in a single second, eyes goggling the present. Takeru was a little slower, but he was very excited to see it as well.

The children both ran their fingers along the charms, Sakura having received a dolphin, whilst Takeru had a jelly fish. Akashi had wondered if such a small thing would really satisfy them, but now he could clearly see that Kuroko had been right. As long as they had something new, they were happy.

Sakura suddenly grinned, beaming up at the two men. "It's beautiful, thank you!"

Takeru nodded agreeably, smiling as he clutched his charm to his chest. "Saku, let's hang them on our backpacks so we can show them off when we go back to school!"

The little girl gasped. "That's a great idea, Taku!"

Kuroko and Akashi shared a look before the bluenette sat his son back onto the ground, opting instead to hold his hand. The small family made their way back to the house to visit with Ms. Kuroko a little longer before heading home.

XXX

"Akashi, do you have to go?"

"Yeah, can't you just stay here?"

"You practically live here anyway!"

Akashi's cheeks warmed slightly despite his efforts, but he continued to smile down at the children. Their bright eyes were wide and curious, truly wondering why he didn't just move in with them. In the corner of the room, Kuroko sat staring at them, also a little flustered at that last comment.

"Sorry, munchkins, I have work in the morning."

They frowned. "But you could still stay here," Sakura said.

"Yeah," Takeru finished, "we'll make sure you're up in time too!"

Akashi laughed softly, kneeling so that he was at their height. "It's not that simple, little ones," he said, ruffling their hair. "Maybe some other time, if your father lets me."

Sakura glanced at Kuroko from over her shoulder, then looked back to Akashi. She smiled, sending him a wink. Of course this only warmed his cheeks further as he knew exactly what that meant.

He hugged them both close one more time before standing to his feet. "I'll see you around, Saku, Taku."

"Be safe, Akashi!"

"Yeah, and come back soon!"

Kuroko finally stood as well, walking Akashi to the door as the children ran off to their room. Wrapping his arms around the redhead's neck, he kissed him lightly. "You could stay, you know."

Akashi's heartbeat seemed to cease altogether at the bluenette's words. "I-I.."

Kuroko chuckled lightly, kissing him again. "Next time, hey?"

The redhead, still very much flustered, could only nod as he stumbled out of the door- quite literally. Watching a man that was normally the perfect picture of grace almost fall on his face was pretty funny to Kuroko.

XXX

"Tetsu, you really like this guy?"

Kuroko rolled his eyes as he continued working on his school preparations, trying to focus despite Aomine's persistence in holding a conversation.

"Yes, that's why I'm dating him."

The tanned man grunted, his brows furrowing as he stared at the contact picture Kuroko had for Akashi on his phone. "He doesn't look like your type."

"And what exactly is my type, Aomine?"

Aomine shrugged. "I dunno. Tall, blonde, big boobs?"

Kuroko sighed, "That's _your_ type."

The taller bluenette blinked. "… True."

Kuroko laughed softly, and Aomine's breath was knocked out of him by the sound. When the silence stretched on for more than three seconds, Kuroko looked up at him curiously. "What?"

Aomine shook his head, his eyes still wide. "That was a real laugh. You haven't laughed like that since…"

The smaller man smiled. "Since her death, I know." The fact that he could even say the word death was enough to make Aomine do yet another double take. "You can thank Akashi for that."

Suddenly the picture on Kuroko's phone was ten times more interesting, and he stared at it for a whole five minutes, as if he could understand Akashi's personality by looking at a badly cropped picture of his face. "Damn… I need to."

"What was that?"

"Oh, uh- nothing."


	9. Chapter 9

As it were, one of the biggest deals Akashi could have made for his company fell upon the same first few weeks that school began again. The result, was that Akashi and Kuroko went three weeks without seeing each other at all. In person, anyway.

The couple had found a couple of minutes here and there to either call, text, or even sometimes skype. The children especially loved that option. Kuroko was beginning to think they missed his boyfriend more than he did. And he missed him quite a lot.

It was on a particularly long day that Sakura and Takeru strutted over to their father, who had been sat at the table for the past three hours, working on yet another new schedule for his ever restless students. Kuroko sighed quietly as he looked up at them, grateful for the forced break, but already itching to get back to work.

"Daddy," Sakura said softly, and Kuroko instantly began to panic. Sakura never talked this quietly, it was unnerving.

"What's wrong, Saku?" he asked seriously, turning to grasp her hands within his own.

She smiled softly, only partially reassuring his overworked nerves. "Akashi hasn't been around in a long time…"

Kuroko frowned. "I know, baby. Akashi and I are both really busy right now."

She nodded, twirling in her usual fashion. "But I wanted to tell you guys something."

Takeru was starting to smile beside her, obviously already aware of his sister's secret. Kuroko's brow was raised skeptically, but he didn't have time to contemplate it too much, because at that very moment, there was a knock on the front door, followed by whoever it was just pushing inside anyway.

The children instantly ran into the next room, and Kuroko could hear their cries of joy.

"Akashi!"

Smiling lightly to himself, the bluenette stood from his place at the table, and made his way to the main room where he found his children happily climbing his boyfriend like a jungle gym.

Kuroko instantly perked up at the sight, crossing the room to place a light kiss on the redhead's lips. "I missed you."

Akashi smiled against his lips. "I missed you as well."

Takeru made a weird face whilst Sakura giggled at the couple, spinning around them happily. "Daddy, Akashi! I have something to tell you!"

Both men looked at her expectantly, but the little girl shook her head, laughing as if they were crazy. "Sillies, you have to sit down~"

Takeru nodded, standing proudly beside her. "On tv, whenever there's big news, they tell the people to sit down."

Kuroko and Akashi shared a look, but they merely shrugged and plopped onto the sofa, Kuroko curling into the redhead as Akashi wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

Takeru never left his sister's side, but his grin continued to grow as he bounced on his heels, obviously excited. Sakura giggled before taking a deep, dramatic breath. "Daddy, Akashi," she said, "I have a boyfriend~"

There was silence for a moment before a large smile stretched onto Kuroko's face. "Really, Sakura? How'd you manage that, you're only seven?"

She giggled, twirling. "I shared my lunch with him today, because he forgot his. And he said that's something a girlfriend would do, so now he's my boyfriend!"

Kuroko laughed softly, whilst Akashi was still staring blankly at the girl before them.

"Boyfriend?" he muttered.

Sakura smiled. "That's what I said~"

The redhead turned his incredulous gaze to Kuroko. "Boyfriend."

Kuroko, laughing lightly at the look on his lover's face, nodded. "Boyfriend."

He turned back to Sakura. "Boyfriend?"

The little girl rolled her eyes. "Yes, he's my boyfriend!"

"No, he isn't."

"Wha? Akashi!"

Akashi shook his head. "Nope, you're too young."

Kuroko's brows furrowed for a moment. "I think I was her age when I had my first girlfriend."

"And look how you ended up!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Akashi shook his head, ignoring the question and only causing Kuroko's urge to giggle to become more prominent. Seeing the redhead like this was quite amusing, to say the least.

"Nope, you're too young. No daughter of mine is going to have a boyfriend at the age of seven!"

Kuroko paused, blinking, before a wry smile found its way to his lips. "Oh, so she's your daughter now?"

Akashi's face instantly bloomed into a bright red, even rivaling his hair. He coughed, trying to ignore the insane heat in his cheeks. "I mean, no daughter of my boyfriend's is going to have a boyfriend at the age of seven!"

Kuroko giggled softly, only adding to the blush as he leaned in to kiss the redhead's lips. "You're adorable."

"I am _not!_ " Akashi shouted, and he ducked his head in shame when his voice cracked rather blatantly.

The children were laughing now too, and Sakura flung herself at the redhead, catching him off guard. "Don't worry, Akashi, it isn't serious."

Akashi only rolled his eyes at the comment, whilst Kuroko and Takeru continued laughing at him.

XXX

Kuroko smiled sheepishly as Akashi stared at him from the doorway. The bluenette was already situated in bed, the blankets pulled to his neck as he felt stupidly awkward, wearing only his boxers underneath. Akashi grinned knowingly, relishing in the blush that was already creeping onto his boyfriend's face.

"I can still leave, you know? The children are asleep, they won't even know I'm gone."

Kuroko rolled his eyes and slowly pulled the blankets back down to his chest, patting the space beside him. "Please stay…"

Akashi smiled, hiding the flutter of butterflies Kuroko's words had sent through his stomach. He silently undressed as well, trying to ignore Kuroko's blatant stare. The redhead wasn't even sure why they were still being so awkward. They had already shared the same bed before, just three weeks ago. That hadn't been nearly as awkward as this. He decided maybe it was simply because it was Kuroko's own home, and he'd been given the choice to share, rather than having been provided with a pre-furnished room.

Regardless, Akashi shook the thought away as he climbed into the bed, instinctively wrapping his arms around Kuroko's body. The bluenette didn't complain, and he nuzzled into the redhead's embrace, even tangling their legs together. He sighed contentedly.

"I sleep better in your arms," he admitted shyly.

Akashi's heart leapt into his throat, but he smiled and kissed his lover's hair, and that was enough of a response for the bluenette.


	10. Chapter 10

Akashi slowly blinked open his eyes, feeling the lack of warmth pressed against him. He realized that at some point in the night, he'd turned over onto his other side, and he was now facing the wall. Mumbling something about leprechauns, he twisted back around, only to be met with a tiny version of Kuroko. His brows furrowed as he stared at the little boy, his powder blue hair sticking up in every direction as his crystal blue eyes stared back at him sleepily.

"Tetsuya?"

He heard a light giggle from behind him, and turning over again, he found Kuroko- normal sized- walking through the door.

"Tetsuya.. There's two of you?"

Kuroko rolled his eyes, kissing the redhead's brow before leaning over him to pick up mini-him. "I had no idea you were so amusing in the mornings, Akashi."

The redhead looked more confused than ever as he stared up at his lover. Until finally, something clicked in his head, and he moaned his understanding before plopping his face back into the pillow.

"That's not Tetsuya…"

Kuroko laughed again as he sat Takeru onto the floor, sending him off to breakfast. Then the bluenette crawled on top of the redhead's back, his fingers immediately beginning to work themselves into his skin.

Akashi moaned at the gesture, feeling three weeks' worth of knots being worked out of his muscles. _"Holy shit, you are amazing."_

The bluenette laughed softly as he continued his ministrations, "I know~"

XXX

Akashi kissed Kuroko one last time, and hugged the children again before rushing out the door, still waving to them as he walked along the street. He smiled to himself as he looked at his watch. He was very glad Kuroko lived on this side of town, making it much easier for him to get to work on time.

When he arrived to his office, he was met with many smiling faces, something that had only begun happening in the last two months or so. Today, however, was the first day he'd contemplated it. Why was everyone suddenly so cheerful in the mornings?

As he reached his office, he found his advisor and dear friend, Midorima, standing anxiously beside his desk.

"Akashi, I need to discuss-"

"Why is everyone so happy?"

The green haired man blinked at him, his brows furrowing. "Excuse me?"

Akashi smiled as he made his way behind the desk, sitting in his designated chair and leaning back comfortably. "Why is everyone so happy lately? They used to scowl at me as I passed in the halls."

Midorima sighed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "You mean the employees, then. It's because of you, Akashi."

The redhead cocked his head curiously. "Me?"

"Yes, when you're in a good mood, everyone's in a good mood. And you've been rather happy-go-lucky for the past two months, if I do say so myself."

Akashi's lips slowly stretched into a smile as he worked out the timeframe in his mind. "Ah, so it's because of Tetsuya, then."

Midorima raised a brow. "Tetsuya? That guy you're dating?"

Akashi smiled as he turned to the work on his desk. "Yes, that one. I don't understand it either, Shintaro, but he makes me happier than I ever thought I could be."

The green haired man stared at him for a long while before nodding. "I'm glad you're happy, Akashi," he said. "…Now about that meeting with the Yamazuki's-"

XXX

Akashi was very grateful when the work day came to an end, and he quickly scurried out of his office, sending quick smiles and halfhearted 'goodnight's as he passed through the halls. He practically ran out the doors and into the chilled evening air. Smiling to himself, he carefully maneuvered himself through the throng of people on the streets, hoping to arrive at Kuroko's in time for dinner again. He loved having dinner with the bluenette and his little ones. The true family experience, one that he had encountered, yet never been a part of.

The thoughts of his own father suddenly plagued his mind, but he quickly shook the thoughts away. And as always, with the retreat of those memories, came the ones of his mother. He let those linger a little longer in his mind before dismissing them to a far corner, where they would be kept safe but hidden from view. He was pulled out of his recollections when his phone began to ring. Pulling the device from his pocket, he didn't bother reading the caller id before answering it.

"Hello?"

" _Akashi-cchi!"_

Perhaps he should have paid more attention. He sighed lightly. "Ryouta. Can I help you?"

" _Maybe! I was wondering if you wanted to grab something to eat tonight. My shift ran a little late."_

The redhead thought it over for all of two seconds before answering, "Sorry, I already have plans."

" _Ne, it's that boy, isn't it? You sure seem to be smitten with him~"_

"Well I am dating him, Ryouta."

" _Yeah, but you never have time for me anymore!"_

Akashi sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he continued to walk at a fairly fast pace. Just another block and he'd be at Kuroko's. The very thought sent his heart soaring. "That's not entirely my fault. Your shifts have been rather long lately. Furthermore, I barely have time for Tetsuya as it is."

He heard the blonde sigh over the phone, and he could practically see his pout. _"Ne, Akashi-cchi… When are you going to tell him you don't like kids?"_

The redhead frowned, his lover's house now clearly in view. "I'm not, Ryouta. I actually like these kids."

" _Wha? Seriously? I thought you were totally pretending!"_

Akashi rolled his eyes. "I would never deceive someone like that. Especially Tetsuya. His children are as important to me as he is."

"… _I'm glad you've finally found someone, Akashi-cchi."_

Akashi felt a slight tinge of warmth cross his cheeks, but he quickly ignored it, replying, "Don't make a big deal out of it, Ryouta. Anyway, I have to go. I'm at his house now."

" _Oooh~ Use protection~"_

"Idiot, I-" He groaned as he heard the blonde hang up on him, glaring at the phone before shoving it back into his pocket. He closed his eyes, taking a deep, calming breath. When he opened his eyes again, he was met with the same sight of Kuroko's home, but it was different now. It wasn't just a destination he had to get to, to make Kise stop talking. It was the home of his lover, and his two adorable children. The home of all of his happy memories, and the home of his heart.

Smiling at the anticipation of being with these people once more, he practically skipped up to the door, not even knocking as he pushed through the entrance.


	11. Chapter 11

**So this story is 90% fluff. In case that wasn't obvious by now. xD So here, have some more fluffy fluffacles~**

* * *

"Daddy, look what I found!"

Kuroko and Akashi both looked up from the sofa as Sakura ran into the room, Takeru trailing behind her. The little girl wore the brightest smile either of them had ever seen, and Kuroko smiled back at her, until his eyes landed on what she held in her hands.

A necklace of pearls were cradled delicately in her cupped hands.

"Where did you find that, Sakura?"

Akashi's smile faded as he noticed that Kuroko's voice was thick with pain. Sakura didn't seem to notice, not really anyway. She clutched the necklace tight to her chest, still smiling.

"It was in a box in our closet."

Kuroko's brows furrowed. It should've been in his closet, where all of Ayumi's things were.

"See?" Sakura continued, turning to take the piece of paper her brother held. She held it out to Kuroko, whose fingers were trembling as he took it.

His eyes scanned the paper again and again, and Akashi watched curiously as tears sprang to his eyes.

"What is it, Tetsuya?"

The bluenette simply handed the paper over, and Akashi's brows furrowed as he read the message, scrawled in the neatest calligraphy he'd ever seen.

' _My dearest Sakura, I wanted to give this to you when you turned sixteen. But it looks like I won't make it that long. I hope by the time you've found this, your eyes won't shed a tear at my absence, and your father will be smiling again. You know, the kind of smile he used to wear when we were all together, baking cookies or drinking hot chocolate in the winter. You're a smart girl, I know you know what I mean. Please take care of your brother, and wear this always, so that you know I will always be close to your heart.  
Stay safe, my little one. I love you all.  
~Ayumi'_

Akashi looked back up with wide eyes to find Kuroko's head buried in his hands, and though he couldn't see them, he knew fresh hot tears were streaming down his face. The redhead gently placed the paper onto the coffee table before wrapping an arm around the bluenette, pulling him into his chest. He heard Kuroko's slight sniffle, and his suspicions were confirmed.

Sakura stared at them sadly, but a small smile still graced her features. "I can put it back, Daddy..?"

Kuroko raised his head then, wiping the tears from his eyes. He shook his head, smiling back at her. "No, Saku. It's a gift from your mother, and you should wear it with pride."

The little girl's smile grew ever so slightly as she hugged her father tightly, Kuroko hugging her back almost desperately.

"I'm glad that even though you're crying, you can still smile, Daddy."

Kuroko's brows furrowed as his daughter pulled away, a knowing glint in her eyes. "What do you mean, Sakura? I've always-"

"A real smile." Her eyes shifted to Akashi before falling back onto Kuroko. "Like Mommy wanted."

More tears erupted from Kuroko's glossy pools of blue, but he smiled back at her, a soft chuckle on his lips. "Yeah," he whispered, looking back to Akashi, "me too."

The little girl smiled at them again before taking Takeru's hand and leading him out of the room. "Come on Takeru, let's see if Mommy left you anything."

"Eh? But Saku, Mommy only has girl things!"

"True.. Maybe Daddy will give you something later when he's done kissing Akashi."

Kuroko's cheeks instantly warmed. "Hey, I'm not-"

His statement was cut short by Akashi's lips on his.

XXX

Sakura was as happy as could be as she skipped her way into her classroom, Takeru hot on her trail. She waved happily at her friend, Kaiko, as she made her way to her seat. Takeru also sent a quick wave to his own friend, Ichiro.

Class was boring as ever, of course. Sakura would much rather have been at home with her father and newest member of the family. Well, as far as she was concerned he was. She'd always felt at home with Akashi, and that time he'd let the words 'my daughter' fall out of his mouth was enough to convince her. From her perspective, she had two daddies now.

Takeru wanted to be home with them, too, though no one could've guessed by the blank expression he wore. The teachers always assumed he was just very intent on listening, but in reality, his mind was far from their lectures.

When lunch finally rolled around, Sakura squealed with delight. Turning to her brother, she grinned. "Only forty more minutes till we can go home."

Takeru smiled lightly, his eyes shifting to their friends across the room. "Saku, do you think Daddy would mind if Ichiro comes over today?"

Sakura tilted her head in thought. "Hm, probably not, as long as you don't interrupt his work. But if you're going to ask Ichiro, I'm going to ask Kaiko."

The little boy grinned and nodded his approval, and the two made their way over to their friends. "Hey, guys, you wanna come over today?"

Ichiro grinned his big toothy grin, though one of his teeth was clearly missing. "Sounds great! I'll call my mom after class."

Kaiko smiled shyly, twirling a strand of her blonde hair between her fingers as she poked at her food. "That sounds fun. Are you sure it's okay?"

Sakura grinned, hands on her hips as she spoke with confidence. "Well Daddy gets to have Akashi over without asking, so we should get to have you guys over too, right?"

The others couldn't seem to find any fault in that logic.

XXX

The four children ran down the halls toward Kuroko's classroom, barging in just as he was sending his last student off with her father. The bluenette smiled at the panting children, "Ichiro, Kaiko, I haven't seen you in a while."

Kaiko smiled up at him sweetly. She'd always loved Kuroko, he was easy to be around, almost like a second father to her. "Mr. Kuroko, can we come over today?"

Kuroko pursed his lips, turning his gaze to his children. "Are you guys going to finish your homework before bedtime?"

Both of them nodded, and he turned to the children that weren't his. "Are you two?"

They nodded as well, and he grinned, an automatic silent approval as they'd learned. Sakura squealed, "Thanks, Daddy! We won't be too loud either!"

"Oh, but, can Kaiko and I borrow your phone?" Ichiro asked, "We need to tell our parents."

Kuroko nodded, pulling the device out of his pocket. "Of course, I wouldn't want them to think I kidnapped you."

The children laughed as Ichiro took the phone first, quickly dialing his mother's cell phone number.

XXX

As Akashi stumbled into Kuroko's home, he was surprised to find two extra children on the sofa. He blinked at them for a long time before calling over his shoulder, "Tetsuya! Your children have multiplied!"

Said children giggled at the silly redhead, Sakura and Takeru jumping up to hug his legs tightly.

"Akashi, these are our friends from school! Kaiko and Ichiro!"

The redhead smiled warmly at the two children still seated on the couch. "Nice to meet you, I'm Akashi."

Kaiko tilted her head curiously. "So, you kiss Saku's daddy?"

A blush instantly sprang to Akashi's cheeks, but Sakura answered for him- good thing too, as he was too flustered to even conjure words. "Yeah, it's cause they love each other."

Kaiko nodded, seeming to be satisfied by the answer. Akashi's eyes were still wide and incredulous when Kuroko entered the room, chuckling at his boyfriend's state.

"My uncle kisses his guy friend too," Ichiro said proudly, "They're gonna move to America and get married."

Sakura lit up at that, "Woah, really? That's allowed there?"

The children's conversation was momentarily drowned out as Kuroko hugged Akashi tightly, kissing his cheek. "Welcome home?" he laughed.

Akashi grinned, his senses finally coming back to him as his arms snaked around the bluenette's waist, pulling him in closer as he kissed his lips. The two pulled apart as Sakura began tugging on both of their pant legs.

"Daddy, Daddy, we've got to move to America!"

Kuroko raised a brow, fully intent on asking what she was talking about, when he remembered that snippet of conversation he'd caught just moments before. His mouth hung open, and his face reddened to the colour of Akashi's hair, and the redhead took the moment to chuckle at his expense. Payback for earlier, of course.

"Don't you have homework to do?" Akashi asked.

Sakura pouted. "Do I have to do it _right now?"_

"If you do it now, I'll make you hot chocolate~" he sang, adding his trademark wink for good measure.

The little girl was all too eager to oblige now, and she dragged her friends and poor brother into their room, yelling at them to hurry up so they could all enjoy the delicious treat together.


	12. Chapter 12

"Ow…"

"Taku! Are you okay?"

The little boy winced as he sat up from his position on the street, rubbing at his knee. His eyes widened as he felt something sticky and wet, and he pulled his fingers away to find blood dripping from them.

Sakura was knelt beside him, trying to make sure that was the only place he was hurt. They had run on ahead from Kuroko, in a race to see who could get home first, and Sakura could see Kuroko's form rushing toward them.

"Takeru, are you alright?" he asked when he finally reached their side.

Takeru groaned but nodded. "I need to learn how to walk…"

Kuroko sighed in relief, a smile coming to his lips at the comment. He swooped his arms beneath his son and lifted him into the air, already continuing their journey home.

Sakura huffed as she skipped along with them. "It's because Daddy always picks you up like that, you know. Akashi was right~"

Takeru laughed at his sister, whilst Kuroko only smiled and rolled his eyes.

XXX

Akashi walked inside to find Kuroko on the sofa, looking tired and impatient. Sakura was sitting on the armchair opposite him, her legs kicking into the air as she watched Takeru intently. Akashi, confused as to why the quiet boy was suddenly the center of attention, made his way over and sat beside Kuroko.

"What's going on?" he asked.

Kuroko merely pointed to Takeru's knee, scraped and bloodied. The redhead could see the glistening of what he assumed to be disinfectant. His brows furrowed. "Okay, and?"

"Taku won't wear the band aid," Sakura supplied.

Akashi's brows only knitted further. "Why won't you wear the band aid, little man? You know your father's not going to rest until you do."

The little boy sighed, rolling his eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We're out of Spiderman," he said simply.

Akashi had seen the medicine cabinet enough to know what that meant. "Oooh… You don't like Barbie?"

Takeru scrunched his nose in disgust, shaking his head. Akashi chuckled lightly, reaching over Kuroko's body to grab the box of band aids he'd somehow overlooked before. Reaching into the box, he pulled out two. He noticed Takeru's confused gaze, but said nothing to appease his curiosity as he opened one of the band aids. Without a word, he wrapped the pink bandage around his index finger, holding it up to show the boy.

"Barbie isn't so bad, you know?"

Takeru raised a brow at him. "You look silly."

Akashi laughed softly, holding the other band aid out toward him. "I know, but I can laugh about it, so it's okay."

The boy stared at the item in his hands for a long while before hesitantly taking it from him. He silently unwrapped the bandage as Akashi had, and slipped it onto his knee.

Sakura skipped up beside him, inspecting the newly bandaged knee with a smile. "Perfect~ Now, let's go play!"

Takeru grinned as he followed his sister out of the room. Kuroko sighed heavily, falling into Akashi's unsuspecting arms.

"Thank you," he groaned.

Akashi merely smiled, placing a kiss to the bluenette's brow. He then held up his finger for both of them to see. "I think pink is my colour, you know."

XXX

All was well in the happy family, until November came. On the very first day of the chilled month, Akashi had noticed the change in Kuroko. It was a small change, barely noticeable. It started out with him zoning out every once in a while, usually over dinner. As the days passed, it became more obvious. He wasn't aware of his surroundings, he was forgetting things moments after they were said- he'd even watched Akashi come in one evening and then proceeded to wonder aloud, "where could Akashi be?"

And now, on the seventh, Akashi was officially worried for the bluenette, and his children. It was an early Saturday morning, and he'd stopped by a café on the way here. He'd grabbed two coffees for himself and his lover, and a small box of cookies for the little munchkins.

The redhead had expected Kuroko to be as distant as before, perhaps worse, but he hadn't expected the cold, dark aura that enveloped him as soon as he stepped through the door. His brows furrowed when he wasn't met with the usual screeching and pounding footsteps of his clambering munchkins. He walked on to the kitchen, peering into every room as he passed. Finding no sign of his adoptive family, he trudged onward to the bedrooms. He was beginning to think they weren't here, and that the door had been unlocked by mistake. It certainly wasn't that farfetched, due to Kuroko's recent state of mind.

But Akashi breathed a sigh of relief as he opened Kuroko's bedroom door, his eyes falling upon the very bluenette as he lay in his bed. He was curled into a ball, tightly embracing both children within his arms. His crystal eyes shifted up to meet Akashi's, and a small smile graced his lips.

"Sorry, Akashi, I didn't hear you come in."

The children stirred then, having been on the verge of slumber. They sat up straight, sitting cross-legged on the bed as Akashi stepped closer to them. He handed them the box of cookies before crawling onto the bed as well.

Kuroko sat up and took his coffee with another small smile, a mutter of thanks on his breath as he took a cautious sip.

Akashi frowned as he looked at the three of them. They were absolutely pitiful. "What's wrong, love?" he whispered, pulling a lock of Kuroko's hair behind his ear, so he could see his eyes more clearly.

Kuroko sighed, fiddling with his coffee cup as he stared at his lap. "It's November 7th," was all he said.

With knitted brows, Akashi turned to Sakura for answers. Though she looked much different now, with a sad look on her features and not even a trace of a smile, she still came through for him.

"It's the day Mommy became an angel."

An invisible fist clenched at Akashi's heart, and he found himself moving robotically. He took Kuroko's coffee from him, and set both cups on the bedside table. He then pulled the bluenette into his lap, kissing his hair as he motioned for the other two to join them. Sakura and Takeru were quick to oblige, missing the warmth Kuroko had previously provided them.

As the four were huddled together, Akashi planting multiple kisses on all of their heads, the children eventually began to giggle, curling into themselves as Akashi's lips tickled their skin. At the sound, Kuroko's eyes brightened slightly, and he sat up a little to watch, his lips now donning a small smile as well.

Once Akashi had managed to pull a light giggle from his lover as well, he nuzzled into the bluenette's neck, bringing a bright red tinge to his cheeks.

"She wouldn't want you to mope like this, you know."

Kuroko paused, ignoring for the moment the way Akashi's breath tickled his skin and set a fire within his soul. He was frozen for a long while, and all three spectators were watching him closely, waiting for a response. Finally, the bluenette smiled again, his eyes glossy with unshed tears. He pulled Akashi's face up to his, kissing him fully, for a long moment. "You're right," he whispered as he pulled away, and this time it was Akashi's turn to blush.

Something about the way Kuroko was looking at him now just made his heart beat faster and his stomach twist- in a surprisingly good way. He didn't understand it, but he didn't really care. He smiled back at his boyfriend as he closed the gap between them again, this time with only a light peck.

"Come, love," he said softly, nodding toward the door, "let's start a fire and drink our coffee. I'll order pizza."

Akashi was surprised to see all three of their eyes light up at the mention of pizza, and in a flash, he was left alone on the bed. Before he could comprehend the situation, Kuroko rushed back into the room, grabbing his abandoned coffee. With a smile, he leaned over the bed and kissed Akashi again, hard and forceful. It was easily the most passionate kiss they'd shared so far, and Akashi was just getting into it when the bluenette broke away, sending him a wink before rushing out of the room.

Now, Akashi and Sakura knew what a wink meant. Even Takeru had come to understand it. The question that now plagued the redhead's mind, was if Kuroko had been aware of that promising gesture when he presented it.


	13. Chapter 13

**More fluff, gaizzzzz~ *heart***

* * *

November passed by quickly, and the children began looking forward to Christmas. Whilst they were listing off all the things they wanted this year, Kuroko reminded them there was another special day coming up as well. The two shared a confused glance before nodding in understanding, their faces splitting into excited grins.

December 20th was a rough day for Akashi. He spent the whole day holed up in his office, desperately trying to finish his work so he wouldn't have to come back the next day. He had given the company a week off for Christmas, mostly so he himself could spend as much time as he wanted in the arms of his lover. But that would be for naught if he didn't finish this paperwork before he left.

He sighed, exhausted, as he finally put his pen down. Glancing over the papers one last time, he decided his task was complete. The redhead grabbed his coat and scarf and quickly ran out the door. Bracing himself from the bitter cold, he ran all the way to Kuroko's house, and was very relieved as he stepped into the much needed warmth.

Akashi smiled warmly at the three people sitting on the sofa, and he bid them hello as he shed himself of his coat.

Kuroko smiled up at him as the children ran to the fire place, retrieving two colourfully wrapped boxes. Akashi raised a brow at them as he sat beside the bluenette.

"What's this?" he asked as Sakura and Takeru held the boxes out to him.

"Happy birthday, Papa~" the children sang.

Akashi's face went warm at the children's words, and even warmer at the new name he'd been bestowed. Sakura and Takeru got tired of holding the presents in their tiny hands, so they gently sat them down in the redhead's lap before sitting on the coffee table's edge.

The redhead finally snapped out of his stupor enough to look down at the boxes in awe. "You didn't have to do this, little ones."

They giggled. "We know, but we wanted to~"

Kuroko smiled, nudging Akashi to open them. As the redhead obeyed, still slightly flustered, Kuroko added, "I was confused as to why they wanted only money for Christmas this year. And even more confused when they asked if they could have it in advance."

Akashi's eyes widened as he realized what Kuroko was telling him, and his fingers stopped moving again. His crimson orbs fell on the children he held so dear, grinning brightly back at him. "You.. gave up your presents.. for me?"

Takeru tilted his head, laughing, "No, silly, you're our present."

And once again, Akashi's face was redder than his own hair. Sakura rolled her eyes, her patience wearing thin. "Open your presents, Papa!" His heart leapt at the name once more, but he nodded and obliged.

In one box, was a rather cheap picture frame, having been spray painted with gold in the last couple of days. He figured this one was Sakura's, and that she hadn't been too happy with the original colour of the frame. But that didn't matter, the picture that the frame held was one he could remember clearly. It was the first picture the four of them had ever taken together. In the park where Kuroko had explained they had been just before meeting him for the first time. The two adults were sitting atop the picnic table, Takeru in Akashi's arms, and Sakura beaming over Kuroko's shoulder, as she had just managed to scrambled behind them in time for the stranger she'd pestered to snap the photo.

In the other box, was another frame. It was of the same size and design as the other, but not spray painted, so Akashi assumed this was what Sakura's frame had looked like before. In this frame, was not a picture, but a neatly-scrawled homemade certificate. Looking at the handwriting, he quickly recognized it as Kuroko's, though with the intricate calligraphy he had used, Akashi guess it had taken him quite some time to complete this. His ruby eyes read over the words over and over.

' _Akashi Seijuro, you are hereby, as ordered by the Munchkins, the newest member of our Family. You will resign your name as Akashi, and hence be known as, Papa.'_

The redhead hadn't even noticed he was crying until Sakura's cool hand wiped the tears away. He smiled brightly as he pulled both children into a tight embrace, their squeaks of surprise only making him chuckle in their ears.

"I love you guys…"

They giggled, both nuzzling into their Papa's warmth as Kuroko leaned upon the redhead's shoulder.

Akashi's heart skipped a beat as the children chorused, "We love you too~"

XXX

"Papa, what are you doing here?"

Sakura and Takeru were more than surprised when they were pulled out of class by the school's secretary. The lady had only said they were leaving early, but they'd certainly never expected Akashi to be the one waiting to take them away.

Akashi grinned as he grabbed hold of both children's hands, leading them out the door and toward his car. "Do you know what today is?"

Sakura's brows knitted together as she pondered the question, whilst Takeru grinned knowingly.

"It's Daddy's birthday."

The little girl's eyes lit up with an excited gasp. "Ah, it is! Are we going to surprise him, Papa?"

Akashi chuckled at her enthusiasm, opening the back door for them to climb into. "Of course we are."

XXX

Kuroko had just watched his last student leave the room, and he quickly gathered his things. Knowing Akashi, he was sure the redhead would have taken the day off to surprise him. He was probably already waiting for him, either outside or at home, or even at some restaurant. He knew Akashi well, but in some ways, he was still very much unpredictable.

Still, Kuroko had never expected Akashi to kidnap his children from under his nose. As the bluenette peeped his head into his children's classroom, his brows furrowed, as they were nowhere in sight. He crossed the room to the teacher, smiling at her as he asked about their whereabouts.

"Oh, I assumed you knew. Someone came to pick the children up just before lunch."

Kuroko's brows furrowed, until his eyes widened with realization. He thanked the woman for her time before leaving the room and pulling his cellphone out. Sure enough, he received a message at that very second.

' _Sorry to steal them away, but I needed help.'_

As Kuroko was about to type a reply, another message came through, this one only being an address. The bluenette sighed, but wore a small smile as he headed in the direction of his destination's coordinates.

When he arrived, he found the address belonged to an abandoned movie theatre. His brows were knitted in confusion until he received another text.

' _Just come inside.'_

Looking around, Kuroko wondered if Akashi could see him somehow. Another text-

' _I can't see you, I just know you, love.'_

His cheeks burned lightly as he trudged through the theatre's entrance, looking around for a familiar head of red or blue. He jumped as another text came through.

' _Room 2.'_

Kuroko sighed as he followed the hallway to the specified room, and he walked in just as the lights were beginning to dim. His eyes caught sight of three heads, in the center of the room. Silently, he made his way over to them, plopping down in one of the cushioned chairs. He turned his confused gaze to the redhead beside him, only receiving a grin and a kiss as explanation.

"Akashi, what are we doing? How did you-?"

"Shh," he interrupted, "the movie's about to start."

Kuroko tilted his head, but turned to look at the big screen that was indeed now lit up with a movie playing. His eyes widened drastically as he realized what this was. It was an hour long commentary of sorts, starring his little family.

Sakura and Takeru were up on the screen, giggling away as they talked about their father. They rambled on and on about how amazing and caring he was, how he always knew what to do, how he was always there for them. Every once in a while, Akashi's voice would drift from behind the lens, asking them a question or helping Takeru with a word. After about forty five minutes of that, the redhead himself appeared on the screen.

His smile was nervous, but his words were confident. He started out slowly, reminiscing on how he had met the man he now assumed to be the love of his life. He progressively went on to talk about how his whole life had changed with not only Kuroko, but his children, and how grateful he was for them, and how much he loved them. And finally, he finished it with a direct comment toward the bluenette. His eyes sparkled as he finally looked into the lens, having been too nervous to do it before.

"Tetsuya," he said softly, "I hope I'll have the chance to share many more of your birthdays with you."

When the film ended, and the lights began to brighten, Akashi looked over to find Kuroko crying, as he had expected. He chuckled lightly, pulling the bluenette into a loving embrace.

"Come now," he said, "Was it really that terrible?"

Kuroko laughed lightly, slapping the redhead's chest as he swiped at his eyes. "It's beautiful, thank you," he said softly.

Akashi smiled, nodding toward the children. "Their idea, actually. I had no idea what to do for you…"

The bluenette giggled as he pulled his beaming children into the hug as well. "Thank you, so much."

"Is it the best birthday ever, Daddy?" Takeru asked.

Kuroko looked to each of them, placing a multitude of kisses on his children's brows and finally turning to kiss Akashi's lips. "Yes, this is the best birthday I could ever ask for."


	14. Chapter 14

"So, uh, Valentine's Day is coming up."

Kuroko blinked, looking up at Kagami as the redhead seemingly purposefully averted his gaze. A small sigh passed through Kuroko's lips, barely audible, as he turned back to the TV. Kagami had called him over this morning, because his TV had gone sporadic and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to watch the game that afternoon. As Kuroko had fixed the device many times when he lived with him, the bluenette was of course his best bet.

He really needed a new TV.

"So it is."

"… You gonna do something nice with, uh, Akashi?"

Kuroko frowned, his fingers pausing once more as he looked back up at his friend. "Probably. Why are you asking such things?"

The redhead shrugged, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Just curious," he grumbled.

Kuroko regarded him solemnly before returning to his ministrations. "I suppose I should ask what you're doing for Valentine's Day?"

Kagami sighed, finally looking at Kuroko's blank expression. "Nothing, of course… Kuroko, listen, I'm really sorry about-"

"Kagami, we've been through this." The bluenette sighed at Kagami's protesting grunts, and he stood to face him directly. "I've told you before, that may have been the reason we broke up, but it's not the reason I didn't come back."

The redhead frowned, looking at the floor beneath his feet. "I know, but…" He sighed. "You really like him, then?"

Kuroko paused, before slowly replying with a single word, "love."

Kagami visibly flinched, but he smiled anyway, lifting his gaze to meet his friend's. "That's good. You deserve someone that'll treat you right, especially after…"

"Ayumi would want me to move on. Weren't you the first person to tell me that?"

He sighed, "Yeah, and I meant it. But I can't help that I wish it was with me."

Kuroko frowned, looking down at the TV. "It should work now."

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Thanks, man."

The bluenette nodded, turning to grab his coat. Kagami frowned as he watched him. "Kuroko… I really am happy for you. And, I'm glad we're still friends." He stopped immediately at Kuroko's sudden flinch.

"Kagami, I'm sorry for the way things went. Honestly, if I wasn't so selfish, I'd tell you to move on and never speak to me again." He looked at him then, his eyes serious and sad, almost matching Kagami's own feelings- almost. "But I value your friendship far too much to do that, even though I know your heart hurts every time I say the word 'friend.'"

Kagami sighed heavily, running a hand down his face in exasperation. "Dammit, Kuroko, you know I can't live without you! Don't say shit like that!" His breath hitched in his throat at the small sad smile on Kuroko's lips.

"It's funny, isn't it?" he asked quietly, "How that temper of yours, the reason we broke apart back then, is the very thing keeping us together now?" His own words hit him hard, as they were more than true. If Kagami hadn't blow up every time he mentioned severing their friendship, he would've done so long ago. For the redhead's sake, of course. He really didn't want to lose him.

The redhead sighed, hating himself for being so weak. Maybe that was why Kuroko didn't love him back. He shook the thought from his head, he knew it was nothing like that. The simple fact was, Kuroko was in love with another. It hurt, but he'd be fine. He'd been fine through these, what, twelve years now? Almost thirteen…

"Just… if he ever hurts you-"

"You'll be the first I run to."

XXX

Akashi was pacing the main room as he waited for Kuroko to return. Sakura and Takeru were both watching him curiously, even trying to coax conversation out of him, but the redhead was too deep within his own mind to even hear them. He perked up immediately, though, at the sound of the door opening.

"Tetsuya!"

The bluenette's eyes widened drastically as Akashi crashed into him, holding him tightly against his body. "E-eh, Akashi, you're as bad as the children."

Akashi laughed softly before pulling back, looking him over as if he expected him to be hurt. "How'd it go?"

Kuroko raised a brow at his antics, shedding himself of his coat. "It was fine. It was just a tv."

The redhead frowned, and the look on his face was enough for Sakura to feel uncomfortable.

"Come on, Taku," she whispered, grasping his hand, "let's give Daddy and Papa a minute to talk about grown up stuff."

Takeru was obviously confused, but he followed his sister out of the room quietly.

Kuroko's brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"

"I was standing next to you when you got that call, Tetsuya."

The bluenette tilted his head. "I know, what of it?"

A sigh fell from Akashi's lips as he moved to sit on the sofa, Kuroko following suit. "I could tell by the way he talked to you that he loves you. You mentioned staying with him once, you were in a relationship at the time, right?"

Kuroko frowned. He had left Kagami's with the hope that this wouldn't come up again for some time. He sighed. "Yes, we dated for about two and a half years, until graduation." He watched as Akashi's expression changed, his mind processing his words and conjuring up a response. He looked rather hesitant for a moment, and Kuroko already knew what he was going to say.

"What.. happened?"

The bluenette's frown deepened as he thought of that night, the night that was supposed to be somewhat magical for him, symbolizing that he had made it through high school alive, and would continue to live in the 'real world.' It had also been the night that the pain of the 'real world' fell upon his shoulders, fully resting on his own now that he had no one to turn to.

"After graduation, Kagami and I went back to our apartment, just to hang out and stuff. All was well until after dinner, when we were sitting on his bed. He was running his fingers through my hair whilst I told him what I wanted to do with my life. He'd asked, because, well.." He paused, not sure if he should put the scene in Akashi's mind, lest he take it for the present. He sighed when he found no way around it. "A few months before, he had asked me to move back to America with him. I was supposed to give him my answer before graduation, but I had managed to stall…"

Akashi's expression was oddly blank, and quite unnerving to the bluenette. He sighed, his fingers trembling. "Please don't look at me like that…" The redhead frowned, nodding his apologies as he let his emotions filter through into his expressions once more. He had a way of forgetting to wear them, when he was rather upset.

"Anyway, when I told him I wanted to stay here, and attend Tokyo University, he kind of, lost it. I'd always known he was self-conscious, but he had a way of hiding it, and I just forgot sometimes. I should've explained beforehand, but he assumed it was his fault, that I didn't like him anymore or something… So he started yelling, or well, it wasn't really yelling. Just, louder than usual. Until my hopelessly blank expression angered him further, then he really started to yell…"

Akashi looked away from Kuroko as his hand balled into a fist. Seeing Kuroko look so hurt over another guy was more painful than he'd expected.

Kuroko sighed at the gesture, feeling as lost as he had back then. "H-he lost his temper and, well, to put it simply, he hit me. It wasn't too hard, but the emotional blow was.. Well, I try not to look so passive anymore…"

The redhead breathed out a long, controlled sigh. "So you broke it off with him, because he hit you."

Kuroko nodded, and he was not expecting Akashi to look at him with such a mixture of pain, anger, and.. defeat. His brows knitted together, but before he could ask about it, Akashi supplied his answer.

"Do you still love him?"

The bluenette's eyes widened as the words echoed in his head. He quickly moved himself into Akashi's lap, holding his face firmly in his hands as he stared into his crimson eyes. "No, Akashi, my feelings for him died within a year. And besides that, the only two people I have ever loved, are Ayumi, and you."

Akashi stared at him, surprise evident on his face, for a long while. His eyes searched Kuroko's, exploring every corner, every miniscule emotion. His heart began hammering in his chest as he realized how close Kuroko's face was to his, and exactly where the bluenette was sitting. He bit the inside of his cheek at that thought, ignoring it for the moment.

"I'm sorry, Tetsuya, I just.. had to know."

Kuroko rolled his eyes, forcefully smashing his lips onto the redhead's. They stayed like that for a while, with Kuroko controlling the kiss, until the bluenette had to break away for much needed air. "Idiot," he panted, "I love you."

"I love you too."

They shared another kiss, and Kuroko suddenly pulled away, a hesitant yet mischievous smile on his lips. Akashi raised a brow skeptically. "What is it?"

"Heh, well.. Just, don't ever hurt me, okay?"

The redhead's brows furrowed. "I would never hurt you. But, why are you telling me this?"

Kuroko giggled nervously, slowly standing to his feet. "I might've told Kagami that if you ever did, I'd run straight to him."

Akashi's eyes flared dangerously at the thought, and before he could stand, Kuroko was running out of the room, screeching apologies. The redhead chased after him, yelling, "Tetsuya, come back here this instant! I have to make sure you know you're mine!"

"And how're you going to do that?" came the muffled reply behind Kuroko's locked door.

Akashi smirked, leaning against the frame. "With kisses, of course. And maybe a few bites." He wasn't surprised at all when the door slowly creaked open, the bluenette sheepishly smiling back at him.

"Well why didn't you say so..~?"

XXX

Valentine's Day rolled around, and Kuroko was thankful the holiday had landed on a Sunday this year. Akashi had stayed over the night before, so he was greeted with the precious sight of his lover the moment he woke up. Needless to say, it was the perfect start to his day.

As the four later sat around the table for breakfast, Akashi pulled out a small tin of candy hearts. Whilst the children were squealing in delight, eager to read the tiny messages engraved in the treats, Kuroko tilted his head in thought, wondering where the hell Akashi had pulled that from. His cheeks turned a bright shade of red when he realized the still shirtless man was only wearing a pair of pocketless-sweatpants, which only left one place.

Akashi smirked as the thought registered in Kuroko's mind, having clearly seen the outcome of this ordeal already. "You alright, Tetsuya?"

The bluenette only blushed harder as he stole a candy from his son's hands, popping it into his mouth.

After a while, Kuroko decided the children had far surpassed their normal candy limit, and he sent them to get dressed properly so that they could all go out for lunch later. The two groaned about their loss of candy, but one wink from Akashi and they were skipping happily to their room.

Kuroko smiled at their retreating forms as he plucked another heart into his mouth. Akashi suddenly leaned over the table, his eyes curious and intense as his fingers ran along the bluenette's jaw. Kuroko's heart sped up and his cheeks flushed as the redhead gently opened his mouth.

"Wha ah you duing?"

Akashi smiled lightly at the other's attempt to talk in such a state. "Bite me."

Kuroko's brows furrowed as his jaw was released, but the redhead made no move to move away. "What?"

"That's what your heart said, 'bite me.'"

"Oh…" Kuroko's eyes became distant for all of a single second, until they widened in realization, just in time for Akashi's lips to attack his own. He gasped as he felt Akashi's teeth nip at his bottom lip, earning him a low chuckle from the redhead. He pulled away soon after, smirking at the evident blush across Kuroko's cheeks.

"You should be more careful of the hearts you pick," he said, sending a wink toward his lover before standing and waltzing to the bluenette's room to get dressed.


	15. Chapter 15

**Ugh, guys, I'm almost to the end of my pre-written chapters... And there's been so much going on lately, I'm not entirely sure how quick the updates will be... So I apologize in advance. I hope they won't be too far apart. :/**

* * *

"Rise and shine, little munchkins!"

Takeru and Sakura groaned simultaneously as Akashi flipped on the lights. Rubbing at his eyes, Takeru resentfully sat up. "What time is it?" he rasped.

Akashi chuckled at the kids, before singing- loudly, "It's five thirty~"

The groans chorused again. "Papa, why are you up so early?"

"I'm always up this early."

"What she means," Takeru grumbled, pulling himself out of his warm bed, "is why are _we_ up so early?"

The redhead grinned broadly. "Well don't you know what day it is?"

Silence fell over the room, until the children's eyes shot open, sharing an exciting glance. "April fourth!" they squealed. Akashi nodded, laughing softly at them.

"Indeed, and Sakura, wasn't your birthday yesterday?"

"Yes~"

"And isn't yours tomorrow, Taku?"

"Yes~"

"Well we better start celebrating then, huh?"

The children crowed with excitement as they ran down the halls, tackling an unsuspecting Kuroko as he just finished starting a small fire.

The bluenette chuckled to himself as he bent to kiss each of his children's heads. "Good morning to my now, and soon to be eight year olds~"

They giggled in response, both bouncing on their heels. "What'd we get?"

Kuroko laughed, nodding toward Akashi that now stood behind them. "You have to ask Papa."

They instantly turned their bright, starlit eyes to the redhead, who was busy shooting a playful glare over their heads toward Kuroko. "Don't look at me, he only said that to distract you."

Looking back to their father, they found Akashi's words to be true, as Kuroko had managed to pull their presents from a secret hiding spot. It was a secret, because Sakura had a tendency to open her presents early. And Takeru had a tendency of spoiling where the hiding spots were.

Sakura squeaked as she quickly snatched the present away, wasting no time in opening it. Takeru, on the other hand, gently took his from his father's hand, and began unwrapping it in a somewhat sophisticated manner. The end result was the same: Smiling faces and wrapping paper strewn across the floor.

Takeru held his pocket watch to his face, eyeing it interestedly. He vaguely wondered how it ticked as he pressed the button, the clock snapping open. Kuroko smiled as he watched his eyes light up with curiosity.

"That's been handed down in my family for a long time, Taku."

The little boy beamed up at him, clutching it to his chest. "Thank you, Daddy, I'll take good care of it!"

Sakura grinned as she also eyed her present, but it was not a pocket watch- It was a single pearl, attached to a silver band with crystals on either side. "So pretty…"

"The pearl came from one of your mother's broken necklaces, like the one you have now." The little girl's free hand reached to clutch at the said necklace that hung from her neck at all times. Kuroko smiled, "Akashi took it and had it made into a ring. The crystals represent the two of you, and the pearl is the bond you now share."

Her crystal eyes lit up in awe as she turned her gaze to Akashi. "Thank you, Papa, Daddy! You guys are the best!"

"Best birthday ever!" Takeru exclaimed, fist pumping the air.

Suddenly, Kuroko's mouth hung open, and he stared at his son in silence, blinking at him. Akashi raised a brow, wondering how the children had managed to break him this time. "Uh, Tetsuya, you okay there?"

The bluenette glance at him. "He looked so much like Aomine just then."

Akashi barked a laugh at the look of disdain that crossed Kuroko's features as he mentioned the tanned man's name. Having met Aomine only once, Akashi knew all too well what he meant, and he found it absolutely hilarious.

When his laughter died down, the redhead pulled the children into a tight hug, and Kuroko soon joined in. He was very content to just spend the rest of his day, maybe even his life, here in this exact spot. But the sun was beginning to peak through the curtains, and there was work to be done and lessons to be learned.

"Happy birthday, Munchkins."

"Now get ready so we can have a quick birthday breakfast," Kuroko added with a smile, "If we have enough time afterward, we might can stop and get ice cream."

Of course the two shot out of the adults' embraces as soon as the words ice cream were uttered.

XXX

"Happy birthday, Saku!"

The little girl laughed as her friend Kaiko handed her a small handmade picture frame, their smiling faces already pressed into it.

"Thank you, Kai, but yesterday was my birthday."

Kaiko giggled sheepishly, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "I know, but I knew you celebrated it today with your brother, so I decided to give it to you today~"

Sakura grinned as she hugged her friend tightly, thanking her for her precious gift that she would treasure "forever and ever."

Meanwhile, Ichiro held out a little toy car toward Takeru. "Here ya go, Taku, happy birthday!"

Takeru's eyes widened as they fell upon the car. "Woah, that's the newest edition, the one with the flaming side stripe and glow in the dark tires!"

Ichiro laughed at his friend. "Yep, and it's all yours."

Takeru grinned as he gingerly took the toy from the other boy. "Thanks, Ichiro. But, you know my birthday's not till tomorrow."

The other boy laughed lightly, shrugging. "I know, but, I decided I couldn't wait."

Another face splitting grin cracked across the boy's lips, and he looked back up to meet Ichiro's gaze. "We'll always be friends, right, Ichiro?"

Ichiro scoffed, punching his arm as he had seen his father do to his friends in such a situation. "Of course we will, dork. Come on, let's go see if it really glows in the dark!"

XXX

"Do you really have to go?"

Kuroko smiled at his son as he ruffled his hair. "Yes, but I'll be back in just a couple of days."

"Daddy's going to rebuild his trust with grandma," Sakura informed, and this seemed to brighten the boy's demeanor.

He smiled up at his father, nodding. "I hope you have fun then."

Kuroko smiled softly as he took his children into his arms, hugging them tightly for a long moment.

It was May 6th, two days from Mother's Day, and Kuroko's mother was waiting for him just outside. She had managed to talk him into spending the weekend with her, as a mother-son retreat, so that they could move past her mistakes and bond once more. Kuroko hadn't wanted to go at first, but after Akashi reminded him that having his mother back in his life was a good thing, he had graciously accepted the offer.

The redhead, standing in the doorway with Kuroko's bags, would be the one watching over the bluenette's children. He had promised to feed them, clean them, and put them to bed at a reasonable time- He had promised this many, many times, and yet-

"You'll make sure they're well fed right?"

Akashi rolled his eyes. "Of course, love."

"And _not_ just with candy?" Kuroko raised a brow, his look demanding and, adorably cute. Akashi simply couldn't help himself as he kissed the bluenette's nose.

"Of course, have faith in me."

Kuroko's cheeks reddened slightly as he muttered something under his breath, and Akashi chuckled as he followed him out the door. Once the bags were in the car, and Akashi had given his boyfriend's mother a final goodbye and well wishes, he pulled the bluenette into a tight embrace.

They stayed like that for a long while, and Akashi simply didn't want to let go. But Kuroko and his mother had a flight to get to, and they were already running a little late with Kuroko's drawn out goodbyes. The slightly smaller man smiled sadly as he gently pushed Akashi away, tears threatening to spill forth from his crystal eyes.

"I'll be back in two days," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "Take care of my little ones, and take care of you."

Akashi smiled reassuringly as he pressed his lips to the bluenette's, long and slow and filled to the brim with love. "Have fun, Tetsuya," he breathed, causing Kuroko's cheeks to brighten once more.

"I love you, Akashi."

"I love you too."


	16. Chapter 16

"Are you excited to get back to your little ones?"

Kuroko smiled as he glanced at his mother, the woman's eyes shining with content as she drove him home. "Yes, I am, but I'm very glad I came. I had a wonderful time, Mother."

He noticed the tears gathering in her eyes, but her smile was ever present.

"I'm so glad," she said. "I feel so much closer to you now, closer than I ever was."

"Me too. Would you like to stay for dinner?" he asked, as he realized they were only a block away from his destination.

The woman laughed softly to herself, shooting her son a quick knowing look. "No thank you, dear. I think you'll have your hands full."

Kuroko wasn't quite sure what she meant by that, but the tone she'd used had made his face as red as Akashi's hair.

Akashi…

The thought only further brightened his cheeks.

XXX

Kuroko came inside just in time to find Akashi walking back into the room. The redhead grinned, practically sprinting over to his boyfriend. He wrapped his arms around the bluenette in a tight, welcoming embrace, planting a hundred kisses to his love's face.

"I missed you," he said at last.

Kuroko giggled as he lightly pushed the redhead away, his eyes catching a glimpse of purple. Looking down, he pulled Akashi's hand into his own. "Your nails, are purple."

Akashi laughed sheepishly. "Yeah, I asked for pink, but she didn't listen."

The bluenette raised a brow. "But pink is her favorite colour, because it goes so well with her red hair. You have the same red hair."

"It's cause purple is blue and red together~"

Both men startled slightly, having not heard the soft padded footsteps enter the room. They turned to find Sakura standing there, her hair drenched and stuck to her head as she twirled lightly. Kuroko was about to ask where Takeru was, when he suddenly realized what Sakura had meant. His cheeks were once again stained red, and Akashi laughed nervously.

After watching Kuroko's mouth open and close repeatedly for a good ten seconds, the redhead decided to save the poor man. "Saku, go brush your teeth, tell Taku too."

She nodded, but hugged Kuroko tightly before she ran off to complete the task.

"Do you think she, knows what she's saying?"

Akashi laughed at his boyfriend, slinging and arm around his waist. "Eh, probably not. Come on, they should be finished soon."

Kuroko smiled and allowed Akashi to lead him through the halls and to the children's bedroom, where the two soon appeared as well. Kuroko smiled contentedly as he sat on the edge of Takeru's bed, both children clinging onto him as if they hadn't seen him in years.

"We missed you, Daddy," Takeru said.

The bluenette smiled, ruffling the boy's hair. "I missed you too. Did Akashi take good care of you?"

"Yep!" they exclaimed in unison.

"He made us eat all our vegetables-"

"And made us wash our hair three times every night!"

Kuroko chuckled at the two. Their eyes were alight with an ever growing love and respect for the redhead, and it made Kuroko's own heart swell with happiness. "I'm glad. Now, it's time for bed. School tomorrow."

The children groaned lightly, but they scampered into their respective beds anyway. Whilst Kuroko tucked Takeru in and kissed his brow, Akashi did the same to Sakura, and then the two switched.

As the couple were leaving the room, Kuroko turned out the lights, sending a last smile toward his children. "Goodnight, my little ones."

"Goodnight, Daddy, goodnight, Papa~"

XXX

As Kuroko lay in his bed, resting in Akashi's arms as the redhead raked his fingers through his hair, he couldn't help but think of how long the two had been together. It would be a year in only a little over two months. And still…

"Akashi?"

"Yes, love?"

The bluenette gulped, and Akashi could sense his nervousness, but said nothing as he waited patiently for Kuroko to work up the courage to say whatever he wanted to say. In the end, he hadn't said anything. Kuroko had merely looked up at Akashi, and the look in his eyes was enough to drive the redhead crazy.

Akashi hadn't meant to break Kuroko from his thoughts, but he simply hadn't been able to keep himself from the bluenette's lips. His kiss started out slow, soft, featherlike even. But it seemed Kuroko had different thoughts on the matter, as he was steadily deepening the kiss. He had managed to sit up slightly without breaking contact, his arms entangling themselves around the redhead's body as his tongue ran along Akashi's bottom lip.

The gesture was unexpected, and the gasp that came from Akashi was more than enough to grant him the much wanted access. They stayed like that for a little while, with their tongues dancing together behind one another's lips, with Kuroko pressing his body further into Akashi's every once in a while.

The redhead finally pulled away, albeit reluctantly. His heart was hammering hard, his breaths coming in short, sharp pants. "Tetsuya…" He didn't have time to say much else before Kuroko pushed him onto his back, straddling his hips as their lips connected once more.

Akashi's mind was in a haze as Kuroko's hands began moving along his body, his long nimble fingers slowly rising up beneath his shirt. His breath hitched as his shirt was slowly lifted, the chilled air hitting his skin at full force. A shiver ran down his spine as Kuroko continued moving, and it wasn't long at all before the redhead was completely topless.

Akashi was sitting up now, his hands pressed firmly at the small of Kuroko's back as the bluenette only deepened their kiss once more. The bluenette gasped sharply as Akashi's teeth sunk into his lip, causing the sensitive skin to sting even after he moved his lips onward to Kuroko's neck. With every nip he took at the soft flesh, he received a soft moan of pleasure from his love. When he bit down sharply on the very base of Kuroko's neck, the bluenette made a sound so lewd, Akashi almost lost his mind.

The redhead had flipped them over in an instant, with Kuroko's body now sprawled beneath his own. He stared at the bluenette's flushed cheeks and half-lidded eyes. "Fuck, Tetsuya, do you know what you're doing to me?"

Kuroko smiled- no, _smirked_. He smirked, and the look was so unexpected and oddly attractive that Akashi felt his pending erection only further, painfully so. "I do, actually. I'm quite enjoying it."

Akashi's eyes flashed dangerously, as his hips lowered onto his lover's, earning him yet another well placed moan and a fluttering of eyelashes. "Are you saying what I think you're saying, Tetsuya?"

The bluenette bit his lip softly, his expression doing a complete one-eighty and sending Akashi's mind reeling with the possibilities of all the untouched emotions still dangling within his grasp.

But he pushed that thought aside for now. They had been together for nearly a year, and had never once gotten this far, and they weren't even that far at all. Akashi was the only one partially undressed, but even their kisses had never been this demanding, this… sensual. It struck him as odd that Kuroko was suddenly springing upon him like this, and he wondered if it was some kind of cruel joke. That thought, however, was thrust out of his mind with the bluenette's next words.

"If you think I'm asking for sex, then yes, I am saying what you think I am."

And just like that, all previous thoughts had vanished. Akashi's hands couldn't move fast enough as he pulled Kuroko's shirt off his skin, tossing it somewhere on the other side of the room. His fingers only continued to become less cooperative as he struggled with his lover's jeans, trembling uncontrollably as he fiddled with the button. Kuroko laughed softly at his expense, making his cheeks brighten, but that was quickly ignored as the bluenette undid the atrocity for him, and the redhead focused once more on removing the garment as a whole.

Kuroko gasped as Akashi's hand palmed his erection through his boxers, and his hips bucked into his hand involuntarily. "Fuck, Seijuro."

Akashi's eyes darkened again, glazed with lust at the sound of his name on his lover's lips. He removed the last piece of clothing from the bluenette's body, grateful to be relieved of the obstacle as his hand immediately grasped for Kuroko's member.

Kuroko gasped loudly at the sudden touch, his eyes squeezing shut in pleasure. Akashi smirked to himself as he leant down to place his lips against Kuroko's ear, his fingers moving against his lover's shaft slowly. He didn't miss the inhuman sound that came from his boyfriend's lips. "Say my name like that again, Tetsuya," he rasped.

"S.. Seijuro- ah.."

Akashi decided then that every time Kuroko would say his name, he'd switch his movements. It turned out to be a rather splendid idea, as the bluenette continued to moan his name repeatedly for a while, and every time Akashi would switch his methods of pleasure, Kuroko's breathing would become more erratic as a string of nonsense would fall from his lips.

"Sei.. Please."

"Please, _what_ , love?"

Akashi was enjoying this, being in control of the way Kuroko breathed, moved, and sounded- it was beyond arousing, but he had never expected Kuroko to be so blunt-

"Fuck me."

Even the redhead's cheeks brightened at the blatant use of the words, but he quickly shoved the thought aside, pulling away from Kuroko's body to finally relieve himself of his own restricting garments. Once those were tossed away in a random direction, he leant back down to capture his lover's lips once more, and in the process, pressed both of their heated erections into one another, eliciting a well-deserved moan from them both.

"S-shit," Kuroko mumbled, his lips still brushing against Akashi's as he struggled to catch his breath. The redhead didn't give him much time, as he pulled back only enough to lift the bluenette's legs over his shoulder.

The redhead licked his thumb before placing it against Kuroko's entrance, preparing to stretch him a little, when Kuroko sat up a little, shaking his head. "Don't."

Akashi's brows furrowed. "Are you sure? It'll hurt like hell."

Another smirk- Akashi felt himself getting close already, and he wondered how in the hell someone so small and cute could pull off an expression so lewd.

"L-let it."

His eyes widened, but he didn't question it. So Kuroko was a kinky motherfucker- more fun for him. The redhead shot him a somewhat apologetic look just before he pushed his dick inside of him. Kuroko gasped loudly, his back arching as he fell back onto the bed with a flop. His eyes squeezed shut in pain, but he didn't even try to move away from Akashi, instead going as far as to lightly push himself onto him.

Akashi was absolutely dumbstruck by the action, though it had made him twitch and thus protrude farther against his better judgement. "T-Tetsuya? Have you.."

His words fell short as Kuroko pressed onward again, but the bluenette understood just fine. "N-no, you're my f-first."

The redhead was even more surprised at the revelation- he had assumed Kuroko had been filled by _someone_ , maybe that Kagami guy, with the way he was acting. Most anal virgins would have been tense, their bodies automatically rejecting the entrance, but Kuroko seemed to have an amazing control over his body.

Kuroko certainly was tense, but not in a way that would make it hard for Akashi to enter him. In fact, it was almost too easy. Kuroko was still clutching at the bedsheets around him to keep from crying out in pain, but he handled it rather well, and it wasn't long before his fingernails were dug into Akashi's skin instead, the redhead's body moving with ease as Kuroko's sounds of pleasure filled the room.

"S-Sei.."

Akashi's eyes dilated at the sound of his name, and his movements instinctively grew faster and more erratic, pulling more delicious sounds from his lover. He felt a familiar tightening in his body, his toes already beginning to curl. "Fuck, c-close."

Kuroko's eyes flashed with something he didn't understand, but he had no time to contemplate it as the bluenette suddenly flipped them over. How he had done that without changing the pace, Akashi didn't know, but again, he had no time to think about it. Kuroko began ramming himself onto Akashi with a new, breakneck speed, the redhead writhing beneath him as his fingernails dug into the bluenette's hips.

It wasn't long before Kuroko's body was filled to the brim with Akashi's seed, his own liquid soon spurting out onto the redhead's chest in strings of milky-white. They stayed like that until Kuroko's breaths evened out somewhat, and he lifted himself off of his lover, falling to his side instead.

"Fuck," he muttered, half from ecstasy, half from the pain that had shot through his body at the impact.

Akashi laughed softly, realizing this, as he snaked an arm around the bluenette, cradling him to his chest- the less sticky part, of course.

"Thank you," he muttered, half asleep already.

Kuroko raised a brow at him. "For what?"

"Loving me…"

The bluenette stared at him before a small smile graced his lips. He nuzzled further into the redhead's grasp, closing his eyes. "You're such a sap."


	17. ACT II: TIME OF PRESENT

**We'll be switching gears a bit, guys. In the next *insert number here* chapters, the story will not only follow Kuroko and Akashi's relationship, but also Takeru. Act III will shift its focus onto Sakura, and we'll see what happens after that. Just a heads up.**

 **Now, feel free to skip this part, but this is an explanation for the long gaps between updates: First of all, life is life, and it's pretty difficult right now, but I'm trying to work through it. Furthermore, my computer is not charging. This is the first time in like, three weeks, that I have been able to get it to charge. I don't know how long it will last. And lastly, to be honest, I'm not entirely happy with the way I've been writing the next couple of chapters, which has me in a bit of a funk. I'm trying to figure it out as quickly as I can, so hopefully the updates will come sooner.**

 **I'm terribly sorry for the periods of silence from me. Thank you for continuing to read my babies that are my stories, and for supporting me with writing them. You all are the reason I still try to put words onto paper. *le heart***

 **Okay, on to the update-**

* * *

 _ **ACT II : Time of Present**_

Kuroko and Akashi both awoke at the same time, to the heavenly scent of what was sure to be cookies. Chocolate chip, of course. Brows knitted, they shared a confused glance, before jumping out of bed and rushing into the kitchen. There, they found none other than Kagami.

 _Wait, what?_

The redhead was oblivious to their entrance as he loomed over Sakura's shoulder. The little girl was currently pulling a tray out of the hot oven, and Takeru was watching her anxiously, a grin on his face. The little boy turned then to see his father and Akashi, and his grin grew wider.

"Daddy! Papa!"

Kagami flinched as he turned, but he wore a sheepish smile. "Morning, Kuroko. Akashi."

Kuroko could feel Akashi's dark aura beginning to rise, but the redhead wore a gentle smile on his face. "Kagami, right?" he asked, receiving a nod from the man. "May I ask what you're doing here, at, seven in the morning?"

Kagami laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "Well you see, Sakura called me around six, saying it was some emergency or some shit-"

"Language!" Takeru screeched.

"Sorry," he mumbled, slightly flustered. "But she said it was an emergency, and when I got here, she said she wanted to make cookies for you guys, for Father's Day."

Akashi's dark aura was diminishing quickly, which surprised Kuroko as he stared between the redheads.

"Yep, we were going to ask Momoi first," Sakura added.

Takeru nodded, "But she can't cook."

"And Aomine wouldn't have woken up~"

Kuroko blinked at them, dumbstruck, until Akashi pulled him into a halfhearted hug, laughing. "Well you two really are mischievous, aren't you?"

The children giggled, Sakura twirling in her usual fashion.

"Thank you for helping them, Kagami," Akashi continued, "If they had tried by themselves, I'm sure Tetsuya would no longer have a house."

Kagami flinched again at Kuroko's name, but he smiled warmly. "That's why I stayed, I knew she'd try it on her own if I left."

Kuroko sighed softly, almost inaudible. "I'm sorry for the trouble."

"Oh no, no trouble at all. You know I enjoy the little squirts," he laughed, ruffling Sakura's hair. His hand lingered on her head for half a second before he straightened, nodding toward the exit. "Well if you'll excuse me, I'll just be leaving. Happy Father's Day, guys."

Kuroko watched as the man strode out of the kitchen, Akashi soon following after him. Instead of worrying over the situation, the bluenette went to look at the freshly baked cookies on the counter, sending praise to his children's baking abilities.

Meanwhile, Kagami felt Akashi following him, and turned to meet him at the door. "Look, man, I'm really sorry-"

"Don't be, I understand, and I'm glad you stayed."

Kagami blinked. "What?"

Akashi sighed, looking over his shoulder toward the direction he'd just come from. "Sakura really is a handful, and Takeru's really no better. I'm glad someone was here to watch over them. And besides, I've wanted to meet you for a while."

The taller man fidgeted, regarding Akashi carefully. "Did he.. tell you about me?"

"If you mean that the two of you were once in a relationship and that relationship ended when you hit him, then yes." Akashi almost regretted his choice of words as a violent cringe racked Kagami's body- almost. He frowned. "But he also told me how good of a friend you were. And for you to love him as much as you do, and still stay by his side as only a friend, even after thirteen years- how can I not respect a man like that?"

Kagami's eyes were wide as he stared at Akashi for a long moment, until he finally sighed, seemingly defeated. "You're the best thing for him."

Akashi didn't say anything. For once, he was at a loss. What was the proper response in such a situation? Kagami didn't give him too much time to consider it.

"Just, take care of him. Don't fuck up like I did. Worst mistake I've ever made."

Akashi frowned, but nodded solemnly as Kagami nodded his farewell before heading out into the early morning sun.

The smaller redhead was still thinking about his conversation when he walked into the dining room, and something caught his eye. Turning, he found a single coffee cup sitting upon the table, the words 'World's Best Dad' painted on it in big, thick purple letters.

With a light smirk, Akashi picked it up, and proceeded to the kitchen, where he held the cup up to his lips as if he were drinking from it.

Kuroko caught the movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned to see what Akashi had. His eyes widened at the cup. "Where did you get that?" he asked curiously.

Akashi smiled, "Oh this? It was on the table. How sweet of the munchkins to leave it for me~"

The bluenette raised a brow, scoffing. "For you, huh? I'm their father, you know."

"Yes, but does it say 'Daddy?' Hm?" he taunted, holding the cup out for him to read.

"Well it doesn't say 'Papa' either!"

"Of course not, whatever store this came from had obviously run out of those. It is a popular term here in Japan."

"I know that, but-"

"I'm sure there were plenty of 'Daddy's' left, as that's even more popular, so they would have ordered more for their shelves."

Sakura and Takeru's giggles interrupted their playful banter. "We didn't have enough moneys to buy two," Sakura explained.

"So we got one that both of you can share~"

Kuroko smiled, ruffling his son's hair. "It's great, thank you. I'm sure it'll be used a lot."

"Starting now," Akashi added as he strolled to the refrigerator to pull out the milk.

"Hey, this is my house, I should get the first drink!"

"Hm… nope."

"Akashi!"

"I might let you have the first sip though, if you call me by first name again."

Kuroko's face flushed a thousand shades of red, but he stared at Akashi firmly, shooting him a half glare. "Seijuro."

Akashi frowned. "Ah you sound so angry, I don't like that. But I suppose a deal is a deal." As he held the cup out, Kuroko snatched it away, sticking his tongue out as he took the first sip. Akashi merely laughed at his antics as he hugged him from behind, resting his head on the bluenette's shoulder.

"Happy Father's Day, Tetsuya."

The bluenette blushed again, mumbling, "Happy Father's Day to you too.. Seijuro."

XXX

It was July 25th, a quiet Monday, and Kuroko was confused as to why he hadn't seen Akashi over the weekend. After the redhead had been around almost daily for nearly a year, he had expected to see him at least once over the first weekend of summer break. But he hadn't even heard from Akashi.

The bluenette released a heavy sigh as he stared at his coffee. Momoi had come over earlier that morning and took the children to the park to play. Kuroko had been tempted to join the trio, but after being somewhat frazzled in the last few weeks of school, he had decided to take a much needed break for himself. He only wished Akashi was there to break the silence. The house seemed almost too big now that he was the only one there, sitting alone on the sofa, staring into empty space.

Kuroko sighed as he pulled out his phone. He figured he'd waited long enough. He hadn't wanted to bother the redhead, so he had resisted the urge to call him over the past couple of days. He'd figured if Akashi hadn't contacted him, then he was much too busy to do so.

So of course, Kuroko's heart leapt in surprise when the redhead answered his call on the first ring.

" _Tetsuya! I was just about to call you! I'm so sorry I haven't been around, but, can you meet me?"_

Kuroko blinked, his brain struggling to process the jumble of words. "U-uh.. Sure."

" _Great! Maji Burger in fifteen minutes?"_

"Um.. Yeah, okay."

' _Click.'_

Kuroko stared at his phone for a good three of those minutes. "What the hell?" He sighed and pocketed the device, quickly finishing his coffee before putting his shoes on and walking out the door.

XXX

Akashi was fidgeting nervously as he stared out the restaurant's windows, searching for a familiar mop of blue hair. Glancing at his watch, he just knew Kuroko was running late- or had four minutes to spare, as he did the last time he'd checked, ten seconds ago. The redhead really needed to calm down.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, he forced his muscles to relax, and when he opened his eyes, Kuroko was pushing through the door.

Kuroko smiled at the redhead as he sat opposite of him. Akashi grinned, pushing a cup toward him. "Vanilla milkshake, love?"

The bluenette smiled as he took the drink, happy to merely be in Akashi's presence again. "Where have you been, Akashi?"

The redhead frowned softly. "Tetsuya…"

"O-oh, sorry, S-Seijuro."

A small smile tweaked at his lips. "I'm sorry, love. I was out looking for something. And I finally found it, just in time too."

Kuroko's brows furrowed as he tilted his head curiously. "What was it?"

Akashi smiled, shaking his head. "First, I want to talk about something."

"Okay…?"

"I know a lot about you, Tetsuya, and you know a lot about me, right?" He waited for Kuroko's skeptical nod before continuing. "Well, there are some things, you don't know about me. And maybe they're not important, but, I want to share everything with you."

Kuroko raised a brow as he sipped on his drink. "Okay, should I be worried?"

Akashi laughed softly. "No, I don't think so. What I really want to tell you, is that, you're the greatest thing that's ever happened to me. And I know I've already told you that before, but let me explain. Not only have you helped me feel truly happy again, an emotion I hadn't felt since my mother had passed, and not only have you introduced me to so many different emotions and traditions, not to mention your beautiful children- but you're the only person that's ever loved me, Tetsuya, and I can't thank you enough for that."

Kuroko's mouth hung open a bit as he listened to what he had to say. Sure Akashi was rather verbal with his emotions, toward Kuroko anyway, but he had never expected him to say so much at once. It was slightly overwhelming. He cleared his throat lightly to pull himself from his own stupor.

"The.. only one? What do you mean by that, love?"

Akashi sighed, a long shaky breath. "That's what I wanted to tell you. Tetsuya.. The relationships I've had in the past don't mean a thing to me anymore, but there was one.. Well, its effects are still very much in play."

Kuroko's brows furrowed as he leaned a little closer to the redhead, propping his head on the palm of his hand as he listened. "How so?"

"Well, back in college, I.. I fell for this girl. I fell hard and fast, almost as quickly as I fell for you. And, I was foolish enough to believe her when she said she felt the same way. I did a lot of things for her, things I wouldn't normally do, things that go against my own beliefs- because I wanted her to be happy, and I thought if she was happy, she would love me more… But it was almost a year after we started dating, that she got tired of pretending, and when I came to see her with a bouquet of flowers in hand, ready to surprise her with an early anniversary dinner, she told me point-blank: 'I never meant any of that, Akashi. No one would ever love you.'"

Kuroko stared at the redhead in silence, his eyes wide. "W.. What?"

Akashi smiled, sheepish and nervous as he began to twitch anxiously. "I-I believed her, you know? I always had, so naturally, I.. I believed that."

Kuroko frowned, shaking his head. "Seijuro, anyone would be lucky to have you. I sure as hell am!"

The redhead smiled again, less nervous. "Don't worry, Tetsuya, I don't believe that now.. But it's been a year since you and I shared our first date, to the very day…"

Kuroko's eyes widened- he had completely forgotten. The time had just flown by with Akashi by his side, he hadn't realized it'd been a year already. Akashi noticed this, and he smiled, finally seeming like his more natural self as he chuckled to himself.

"It's okay that you forgot. I probably would've too, had I hadn't had my past memories to remind me of such an event. Tetsuya, I have something to give you."

The bluenette blinked, his brows knitting together as he peered at the redhead curiously. "What i-is it?"

Akashi simply reached into his pocket, and pulled out a little black box, sliding it across the table. Kuroko's fingers began to tremble as he slowly flipped the lid up, revealing a small silver band with a tiny single diamond embedded in the surface.

"S-Sei?"

The redhead bit his lip, a habit he'd picked him from watching Kuroko do it so much. "I know it's only been a year, and that anything can happen, and that it's illegal here, but… Will you marry me, someday, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko was silent for a long while, the silence weighing heavily upon Akashi's heart, but the redhead said nothing, not wanting to pressure his love.

"Sei, I'm not ready for engagement," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. The bluenette felt awful, after spending an entire year with Akashi, forgetting the anniversary of their first date, and then telling him he still wasn't ready. He was worried the redhead might think he was just like that girl- the thought scared him senseless. But Akashi merely smiled, albeit a slightly dejected smile.

"I figured as much. But, Tetsuya, you're ready for commitment, aren't you? We've been together for a year, after all."

Kuroko thought it over before nodding. "Yes, commitment I can do, with you."

Akashi nodded understandingly. "So, can you.. still take the ring? It can be more of a promise ring, than an engagement ring… If you want. You certainly don't have to, I just… I want everyone that looks at you, to know that you're mine…"

Kuroko stared at him before smiling warmly. He quickly pulled the ring from its encasement, slipping it onto his finger. He held his hand up to admire it as he spoke. "Yes, I can do that, Seijuro. And maybe one day, maybe even soon, I'll be ready to call it what it really is."

Akashi grinned, leaning over the table to kiss his boyfriend passionately. When he broke away, he kept his face close, just long enough to whisper, "Thank you for loving me."


	18. Chapter 18

**Wow okay it's been a while, and I'm soo incredibly sorry. A lot's happened since I last updated. A big thing is that my laptop is now completely out of commission, and I still don't really have a computer of my own, so it's been hard to even get on the site. Another thing is that I really fell into a bit of a funk with this story, and with writing in general. I'm talking literal months of writer's block so bad that it had me in tears. I've never gone so long without writing before, and it sucked. Hope it never happens again. And I know this chapter is really short (or have they all been this short..?), but I wanted to update this before going on vacation this weekend because I finally have a chance. But I will be posting the next one as soon as I get back.**

 **I'm really sorry for leaving for so long. It wasn't intentional, and it definitely wasn't something I wanted to do. And thank you so much if you're still reading this, if you've waited all this time, if you gave up on it and then saw the update and had your hope renewed? Even if you're new to this story- thank you so so much for reading it. It means the world to me. And I'll never give up on this story, or this site, or you.**

 **Anyway. Sorry for the long rant and even longer absence. I sincerely hope it won't happen again. -On the bright side, I've got the next ten chapters already planned out.**

 **So, um, enjoy? ^^; *heart***

* * *

"What kind of thirteenth birthday present is this, anyway?" Akashi mumbled to himself, his hands shoved deep into his pockets as he looked around the piercing parlor. "Most thirteen-year-old boys want a new video game, or the newest phone, but no, Takeru has to have his ear pierced."

"Ah, s-shit!"

"Takeru, language."

Takeru whimpered an apology to his father as he hopped out of the chair, cradling his now slightly bleeding, newly pierced ear. Sakura rolled her eyes at her brother as she sat in the chair after him.

"Come on, Taku, I bet you're just being a little bitch~"

Akashi chuckled as he stood off to the side, but after catching Kuroko's glare, he cleared his throat and gave Sakura what he hoped was a stern, authoritative look. "Sakura, don't say 'bitch.'"

The redheaded girl rolled her eyes but said nothing more as the woman held the piercing gun up to her ear.

XXX

"Owww.."

"It wasn't that bad, Takeru! And I got both my ears done!"

Takeru grumbled under his breath as he shot a glare toward his sister. "Shut up, Sakura, you've always had a higher pain tolerance than me."

The girl laughed, shrugging. "That's 'cause you've always been a baby~"

"Sakura, stop teasing your brother."

Sakura's shoulders fell as she pouted at her father, whilst Takeru stuck his tongue out at her. "Daddy, he stuck his tongue out at me!"

Kuroko sighed heavily, turning to look at Akashi instead. He frowned at the small smile on the redhead's face. "Why are you smiling?"

Akashi's smile only grew. "I can't be happy with my little family?"

Kuroko's cheeks warmed slightly by the comment, and he turned away with a huff. "Stupid sap," he muttered, causing Akashi to laugh softly. His blush only deepened at the sound. The two had been together for six years, and he still wasn't used to the way the redhead made him feel.

"S-so, what do you think we should have for dinner?"

Akashi smiled knowingly, turning to the still bickering children behind them. "Pizza?" The bickering ceased immediately, two pairs of crystal eyes staring up at the redhead in a daze.

Kuroko sighed, feeling defeated and too tired to care. "Pizza it is then."

"Pizza!" the teenagers squealed, earning a half-hearted glare from their father and a light chuckle from Akashi.

XXX

"Dad, can Ichiro come over tomorrow?"

Kuroko paused, his recently cut slice of pizza only inches from his lips. "I suppose so."

Takeru grinned before shoveling yet another slice down his own throat, his sister shooting him a disgusted look.

"Well if Ichiro comes over, can Kaiko come too?"

"Of course."

She grinned. "Cool~ Maybe we can all go out for dinner too?"

Kuroko hesitated, once again pulling his food away from his mouth. He took a moment to offer the neglected slice of pizza an apologetic look before glancing toward Akashi, who was already smiling at him- an obvious sign to say yes. The bluenette heaved a sigh. "We'll see, can I please eat now?"

The children merely shared a knowing look before going back to their own food, and Kuroko was more than happy to finally taste his own.

XXX

The next day, Kuroko escorted home a bunch of teenagers. By the time he reached his doorway, he was all caught up on the girls' gossip, and the boys' growing hate for their math class. The bluenette was quick to suggest the teens find refuge in his children's room whilst he finished some work he'd brought home with him.

It wasn't long after that Sakura and Kaiko reentered the room. "Daddy, can we make some brownies?"

Kuroko nodded, waving his hand dismissively. He wasn't really in the mood to listen to his daughter at the moment, and she had become quite the chef in the last couple of years, so there wasn't too much to worry about. As the girls made their way to the kitchen, Sakura's hand flew to her hip in search of her phone. She frowned when she realized it wasn't there.

"Oh, I must have left my phone on my bed. Go ahead and get the ingredients out, I'll be right back."

Kaiko rolled her eyes at her friend, but Sakura was already long gone, making her quick trip back to her room. She smiled as she opened her bedroom door, already in the motions of explaining herself when her eyes landed on Takeru. The boy was sitting on his own bed, cross-legged, with Ichiro sat in the same way before him. What Sakura had not expected, was to find the two boys' lips connected.

Takeru was quick to pull away, but Sakura shook herself from her stupor, smiling at the boys as she retrieved her phone. "Sorry, I forgot this," she said, and she left the room. Before she could walk through the hall, Takeru was at her side, his eyes wide as he clung to her arm.

"Saku, please don't tell anyone."

Sakura's brows furrowed. "Okay, but, you know no one here will judge you, right? I mean, we kind of can't."

Takeru sighed, glancing around the corner at his oblivious father. "I know, it's just… I don't know what this is yet. I don't want to tell anyone until I know."

The girl smiled reassuringly, nodding as she pulled her brother into a light hug. "I understand, Taku. Don't worry, I won't say anything, but I'll be here for you when you're ready to."

Takeru smiled gratefully at his sister as she headed back to the kitchen, and he walked back to their room, his cheeks already warming at the thought of Ichiro still waiting anxiously on his bed.


	19. Chapter 19

**Also really short chapter, sorry- And not really any Akakuro in this one... ^^; Keep in mind that this story is now following Takeru as much as it is Kuroko and Akashi, and I'm still trying to find that balance...**

 **Still- please enjoy? *heart***

* * *

"Hey, Dad, can I go to Ichiro's today?"

Kuroko frowned, pulling his phone away from his ear to look at his son with mild disdain. "Takeru, it's rude to interrupt me when I'm on the phone," he whispered.

Takeru sighed. "I'm sorry, but he's about to leave, his mom's here already."

Kuroko pursed his lips but nodded. "Be home for dinner."

"Yes, sir, thank you!"

Sakura grunted in slight annoyance as her brother shouldered past her on his way out of the classroom. "What's his hurry?"

Kuroko rolled his eyes and dramatically gestured to the phone in his hand. Mouthing an, 'I'm sorry,' Sakura took a seat and waited for her father to finish his call so they could head home together.

XXX

Takeru was usually more than happy to play video games in Ichiro's living room all afternoon, but on this particular day, he had been under the impression that the two of them would have some alone time. Takeru had asked to talk to his friend about their recently developed relationship, or rather, if it was a relationship at all. But they could hardly discuss such matters with Ichiro's mother bustling in and out of the room every couple of minutes. Sighing as the woman disappeared from view once more, Takeru paused their game, turning to meet Ichiro's knowing gaze.

"You said we could talk."

Ichiro sighed but nodded, ending the game as he called to his mother, "Mom, we're going to study in my room, okay? Please don't bother us."

The oblivious woman's cheerful agreement wafted through the halls as the boys made their way to Ichiro's room.

Ichiro grinned as he plopped onto his bed, patting the space beside him welcomingly. Takeru hid his nervousness as he sat in the indicated spot, his knee brushing against his friend's as they stared at one another.

Takeru opened his mouth to speak first, but was caught off guard by the sudden pair of lips, pressed against his own. After a moment, Ichiro deepened the kiss, turning to face Takeru more directly as his hand cupped the bluenette's cheek. Ichiro smiled, laughing softly as he finally pulled away. He could tell before their lips parted that Takeru was breathless and mystified, and the dazed look in his crystal eyes only confirmed his suspicions.

"Sorry, Taku, couldn't help myself. You're so cute."

Takeru's cheeks flushed a bright crimson, and he nearly jumped off the bed when he heard his phone ring. Grumbling under his breath, he tried to ignore Ichiro's smug grin as he answered the call.

"Hello?"

" _Takeru, you better start heading home soon. Akashi finished all his work a little early today, he's taking us out for dinner."_

Takeru bit back his saddened sigh as he agreed and hung up the phone. He frowned as he turned his gaze back to Ichiro's. "My dad, he said I need to head home."

Ichiro sighed and shrugged, but Takeru couldn't help but think he seemed a little relieved by the turn of events.

"That's too bad. Guess we'll have to talk tomorrow."

Takeru frowned but nodded. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow, Ichi." As he stood to his feet, Ichiro leapt to his own, catching his arm before he could open the door. Ichiro swiftly pulled the bluenette into another kiss, this one much softer than the first.

"We _will_ talk tomorrow, Taku."

Takeru, having lost all air in his lungs, merely nodded before darting out the door.

XXX

"Daddy, I think it's time I have my own room."

Akashi smiled and shook his head at the redheaded girl, looking to his lover beside him. Kuroko smiled sweetly, in an absolutely sarcastic manner, "Oh yes, Sakura, I'll just build another room onto our small two bedroom house."

Sakura rolled her eyes whilst Akashi chuckled under his breath. Meanwhile, Takeru was merely poking at his food, obviously lost elsewhere in his mind. Sakura frowned and nudged him once she was sure the two adults were lost in their own conversation.

"Hey," she whispered, "how'd it go?"

Takeru sighed, glancing warily at the men across from them before answering, "Didn't get a chance to talk. We're supposed to try again tomorrow."

Sakura smiled apologetically, patting her brother's back. "Relax, Taku, I'm sure it'll all work out."

Takeru nodded. "I just hope it works out the way I want it to."


	20. Chapter 20

**Yay new chapter~ (Sorry if** **there are any mistakes, I didn't really spend much time proofing for once-)**

 **Enjoy? *heart***

* * *

Kuroko sighed softly as he rolled out of bed, immediately rummaging through drawers in search of something to wear. Once he'd settled on slacks and a baby blue button-up shirt, he turned to find Akashi still lying in bed, crimson gaze fixed upon him. Kuroko raised a brow at him.

"What are you doing?"

Akashi's gaze traveled down the length of Kuroko's body. "Just watching you get dressed."

It was then that the bluenette remembered he was fully nude and, with a bright face, smacked his lover lightly with his shirt. "Well stop, you're going to be late for work."

Akashi chuckled softly but complied, giving Kuroko a quick kiss before also getting ready for the day.

As the two men strolled into the dining room, they were met with a heavenly scent of soup already prepared and waiting for them in their respective places. Just as they took their seats, Sakura came bustling out of the kitchen, two more bowls in her hands.

"Morning!" she chirped, sliding into her own seat and passing a bowl to Takeru's empty place.

"Good morning, Sakura," Akashi answered, "Breakfast smells delicious."

"Hm," Kuroko agreed, already shoveling spoonfuls into his mouth.

Takeru came running in then and began quickly devouring his breakfast before he'd even sat down. Kuroko raised a brow at him as Akashi spoke his mind for him, "Woah, in a hurry there, Taku?"

Takeru paused long enough to explain, "I've gotta' catch Ichiro before class starts."

"You've been spending a lot of time with Ichiro lately," Kuroko mused.

Takeru nearly dropped his spoon, shooting a questioning glance toward his sister. Sakura only smiled back at him, and he let himself relax. "Yeah, well, he's my best friend, Dad. And he said he had something important to tell me yesterday, but I had to come home early."

"Well at least take the time to swallow your food," Akashi laughed, "You've got plenty of time before school starts."

Takeru glanced at the clock upon the wall and sighed, realizing he was right. He took another bite, taking the time to actually taste it. "This is really good, Saku."

XXX

Takeru arrived at school fifteen minutes early, knowing that Ichiro was usually at least ten minutes early every day. However, after searching all of Ichiro's favorite 'hiding' places, it was clear he would not be early today. Takeru sighed as he made his way back to his classroom, taking his seat with only a minute to spare. Ichiro still wasn't here, and Takeru was beginning to wonder if he was going to show up at all. Then, just as the bell sounded, Ichiro skidded into the room, practically falling into his seat behind Takeru's. Takeru turned to his friend with a curious gaze.

"You're late," he whispered.

"Sorry," Ichiro answered, "slept in." His brows furrowed, "Did you come early?"

Takeru nodded.

"Ah, sorry," the boy said, rubbing his neck sheepishly.

"It's fine," Takeru assured before turning back to the front of the classroom, but there was something nagging at the back of his mind, something he was desperately trying to ignore.

XXX

Takeru sat upon Ichiro's bed, the other boy's hands tangled in his blue hair as their lips moved against one another's. They'd been in this position for a while now, and whilst Takeru wanted to talk about their relationship, Ichiro seemed just fine with continuing what he'd started. Finally, Takeru placed his hand against Ichiro's chest, pushing him away lightly.

"Ichiro…"

"Shh, Taku," the boy said, leaning in once more.

Takeru couldn't help but follow suit but quickly caught himself, pushing his friend away again. "You said we'd talk."

Ichiro sighed, pulling away completely to stare at the bluenette. "Yeah. Let's talk."

Takeru took a deep breath, staring at his hands in his lap. Now that he finally had his chance, he wasn't sure what to say. Brows furrowed, he spoke the first thing that came to mind. "What is this?"

Ichiro chuckled, running a hand through Takeru's hair. "What do you mean? It's us."

Takeru's heart did an involuntary leap at the word 'us,' but he simply couldn't take that as an answer. "No, I mean… Where is this… going?"

Ichiro shuffled closer, his fingers tracing along Takeru's cheek, down to his neck. "Come on, Taku," he said lowly, bringing their lips together once more. "Don't worry about this." He kissed the bluenette again, his hand traveling to his friend's waist. "Isn't this enough for now?"

Takeru's breath dissipated as Ichiro's palm swept up the inside of his thigh. Suddenly the bluenette's mind was filled with thoughts and images of Ichiro touching him, skin on skin, no clothes or interruptions or pesky doubts- He shoved his friend away, standing to his feet. His heart was racing, and he was very uncomfortable as he willed his growing erection to die.

"Ichiro…" he whispered, breathless but determined, "How can this be enough, when I don't even know what this is?"

Ichiro stared up at the bluenette for a long while, completely stoic.

Takeru frowned, "I love you, Ichi… Do you… do you love me?"

Ichiro continued to stare at him. "I'm thirteen, Taku."

Takeru felt like his heart had just shattered in his chest, its shards sinking into the fleshy cavern and causing a painful, bloody mess. Ichiro's eyes softened, and he stood before the bluenette, running a hand through his hair.

"Come on, Takeru," he whispered, his breath dancing on Takeru's lips. "This doesn't have to be the end…"

Takeru swallowed, his mouth suddenly very dry as Ichiro moved in to kiss along his neck. Squeezing his eyes shut, the bluenette forced through gritted teeth, "No… It does."

Ichiro immediately froze in his place, letting out a loud, heavy sigh before pulling away from his friend. "Fine," he said as he sat back on his bed, his face void of expression but his voice layered with ice.

Takeru frowned, his eyes already stinging from tears threatening to spill over. "Ichi-"

"Just go, Takeru."

The bluenette swallowed again, blinked back his tears, and quietly left.

XXX

Sakura had just sat down to start on her homework when Takeru walked into their bedroom. Without looking up, the girl asked, "So how'd it go?"

When all she received was a muffled sob, Sakura looked up to find silent tears cascading over her brother's cheeks. Rushing to her feet, Sakura threw her arms around her brother, and he let her hold him tight and whisper soothing words into his hair as he tried to drown the pain with his tears.

* * *

 **Also I'm not sure if it's actually necessary, but I feel like I should assure you all that I would never write- essentially- porn of thirteen-year-olds, I'm just trying to make this somewhat realistic, and I have a lil brother, so I sorta know how a thirteen-year-old boy's mind/body may work... Okay, awkward author's note over. This'll never happen again-**


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